
J STAMPODD BOY'S M STOGY 
&° JVL \OPLD 1M 



THE FIGHTIN' YANKS 

A BOOK OF PLAIN FACTS, WRITTEN WITH 

THE INTENTION OF PERPETUATING 

THE DEEDS OF THE BOYS OF 

THE LOCAL BATTERY 



BY 

STANLEY J. HERZOG 



Copyright 1922 by 
Stanley J. Herzog. 



CUNNINGHAM PRINT 

Stamford, Conn. 









DEDICATION. 

TO THE BOYS OF BATTERY F, WHO STOOD THE BRUNT 
OF ALL GERMAN CHARGES, DEFEATING THE PRUSSIAN 
GUARDS IN FOUR DIFFERENT BATTLES, AND ON START- 
ING THE TURNING POINT OF WAR AT CHATEAU THIERRY 
ON THE 18TH DAY OF JULY, 1918, WHICH ENDED SO 
SUCCESSFULLY ON THE llTH DAY OF NOVEMBER, 1918; 

TO GENERAL CLARENCE R. EDWARDS, THE BELOVED 
COMMANDER OF THE FIGHTING AND UNDEFEATED 
TWENTY-SIXTH OR YANKEE DIVISION ; 

TO THOSE WHO MADE THEIR SUPREME SACRIFICE, 
AND THE UNKNOWN SOLDIER WHO WAS LAID TO REST 
IN THE NATIONAL CEMETERY AT ARLINGTON. 



S>Ci. A6549S7 






THEIR NAMES LIVE EVERMORE 

"Though They Sleep on Foreign Soil." 

The public must not be detained any longer by the 
faint and feeble tributes to the Memory of our Illus- 
trious Dead. Even in other hands, adequate justice 
could not be performed within limits of all occasions. 
Their highest, their best praise, is the public's deep 
conviction of their merits, the public's affectionate 
gratitude for their labors, sacrifice and services. It 
is not our voice, it is the cessation of ordinary pur- 
suits, this arresting of all attention, all solemn cere- 
monies which speak their eulogy. Their fame is 
indeed safe. That is now treasured up, beyond the 
reach of accident. Although no sculptured marble 
shall rise to their memory, nor engraved stone bear 
records of their deeds, yet will their remembrance 
be as lasting as the land they honored. Marble 
columns may, indeed, moulder into dust; time may 
erase all impression from the crumbling stone, but 
their fame remains; for with American Liberty it 
arose, and with America only can it perish. It was the 
last swelling peal of yonder choir, "Their bodies are 
buried in peace, but their names live evermore." 

S.J. H. 



NIGHT IN NO MAN'S LAND 



All day long when the shells sail over 

I stand at the shell hole and take my chance; 
But at night, at night I'm a reckless rover, 

And over the shell hole gleamed romance. 
Romance! Romance! how I've dreamed it, writing 

Dreary old records of money and mart, 
Me, with my head chuckfull of fighting, 

And the blood of Vikings to thrill my heart! 

But little I thought my time was coming, 

Sudden and splendid, supreme and soon. 
And here I am with the bullets humming, 

As I crawl and I curse the light of the moon. 
Out alone for adventure thirsting, 

Out in mysterious No-Man's-Land, 
Prone with the dead when the star shell's bursting 

Flares on the horrors on every hand. 

Yet, oh! it's great to be here with danger, 

Here in death-pregnant dark. 
In the devil's pasture a stealthy ranger, 

When the moon is decently hiding. Hark! 
What was that? Was it just a shiver 

Of a wind or a clammy hand? 
The rustle of grass, or the passing quiver 

Of one of the ghosts of No-Man's-Land? 

It's only at night when the ghosts awaken, 

And gibber and whisper horrible things; 
For every foot of this God-forsaken 

And still some horror clings. 
Ugh! What was that? It felt like a jelly, 

That flattish mound in the noisome grass; 
You three big rats running free of its belly, 

Out of my way, and let me pass! 

But if there's horror, there's beauty, wonder; 

The trench lights gleam and rockets play. 
That flood of magnificent orange yonder 

Is a battery blazing miles away. 
With a rush and singing a great shell passes; 

The rifles resentfully bicker and brawl. 
And here I crouch in the dew drenched grasses, 

And look and listen and love it all. 

— S. J. H. 



The Fightiri Yanks 



CHAPTER I. 

IT was in the remarkable years, the years of 
1917-18, that the United States gathered its 
army of youth to check the powerful Teuton 
Army from invading France, and after a year's 
struggle, returned home victorious. 

On the 28th day of March I enlisted in Battery F 
of the Tenth Connecticut National Guard, being- 
located in Stamford at the time of its return from 
the Mexican border in the year 1917. The battery 
was sent to Bridgeport to do guard duty at Seaside 
Park, where the boys liked it very well. Being 
near a beach made it more like taking a vacation 
than playing the part of soldiers. Here we were 
taught to ride horses and the use of field pieces 
until late in July. The battery was ordered to 
move to Mantic, Connecticut, on the 15th of July. 
It was a four-day hike that the battery made, the 
weather being very hot, which made it very un- 
pleasant. Horses dropped out of the line of march, 
being overcome with the heat. 

On the last day of the hike we stopped four miles 
from Mantic. While resting, the boys discovered a 
brook and had gone in for a swim, which helped 



8 THE FIGHTIN' YANKS 

them a great deal in cooling off. The horses re- 
freshed and the boys feeling tip-top, the march was 
continued and camp reached at 7 P. M. 

AT CAMP. 

After establishing the battery street, many of 
the boys were very tired and worn-out, as it was no 
joke or pleasure of any kind to be out in the hot 
sun for four days. 

A large number of the boys turned in for the 
night, but the majority of them bad gone into the 
Y. M. 0. A. which was in the camp. Then came 
the old story. We had come across a crowd of what 
we called "Pie Eaters," who were of a Cavalry 
Troop. 

As we walked into the V. M. C. A. some one out 
of the crowd said: " Here comes a bunch of rough- 
necks." On hearing this remark we no doubt had 
to clean house, for being called rough-necks meant 
that we had to show them that we were such as 
called by them, and we did, for there was a free- 
for-all. The results were that the poor " Pie 
Eaters " had left the Y. M. C. A. to ourselves. 

At this camp the battery was stationed only for 
three weeks, when it received orders to pack for 
East Boxford, Massachusetts. On arriving at Box- 
ford we were put to work, which lasted until our 
departure for France. We were now made part of 



THE FIGHTIN' YANKS 9 

the newly organized One Hundred and Third Field 
Artillery of the Fifty-first Field Artillery Brigade, 
of the Twenty-sixth United States Division, other- 
wise known as the New England or Yankee Di- 
vision. 

PLEASURE IS WONDERFUL WHEN WE HAVE IT. 

At this camp we drilled very hard until the eighth 
day of October. It was just a week before our sail- 
ing for France that I had taken the pleasure of 
going home for seven days, as I knew that the bat- 
tery was to sail for France and God only knew if 
we were to come back, and while home on my seven- 
day A. W. O. L., known as "Absent without leave," 
I really did enjoy myself. 

On my return to camp I was notified to attend a 
court martial, together with Private Harry D., 
Private Bull C. and Private Max R. There we were 
tried and found guilty of being absent without 
leave. For an excuse Private Harry D. gave as 
follows : " I was married, Major." The Major said : 
"Twenty dollars fine." Next on the stand was Pri- 
vate Bull C, who had no excuse, so he was fined 
|40.00. Next on the stand was Private Max R., who 
also had no excuse, so he was fined f 40.00. I, being 
the last to be tried, which had given me time to 
frame an excuse, which I did, thinking that Private 
Harry D. had told the Major that he got married 
and only paid a fine of $20.00, so I thought of giv- 



10 THE FIGHTIN' YANKS 

ing the same excuse. The Major said : " What is 
your excuse and why did you leave camp without a 
pass?" I then told the Major that I had gone to 
get married ! The Major asked : " Well, did you? " 
I replied : " Why, certainly ! " The Major then said 
with a smile, " Very well, twenty dollars fine for 
you. It was the talk of the outfit, and the boys did 
believe for a while that I was married. 



CHAPTER II. 



OFF FOR FRANCE. 



The battery left Boxford, Massachusetts, on the 
eighth day of October, arrived at Harlem River, 
New York, the following morning, and proceeded 
down East River on an excursion boat, the " Grand 
Republic," which arrived at Pier 60, North River, 
where we boarded the S. S. Baltic. As we were 
shown our staterooms, we were invited for lunch, 
as no doubt the boys were hungry, not eating since 
leaving camp the previous day. 

At noon the S. S. Baltic was towed out of the 
pier and into the deep, blue ocean. Our next stop 
was at Halifax, N. S., where we anchored for two 
days awaiting a convoy, which was made up of 
thirteen ships. On a Sunday the convoy made up 
and started for Liverpool, England. 

A VERY PLEASANT TRIP ACROSS THE ATLANTIC. 

Rolling over the monster waves, which were as 
high as the ship at times, this no doubt made many 
a fellow feed the fish which were about the ship 
almost the entire trip. 

To pass away the monotony of hanging around, 
the higher command suggested that the boys have 



12 THE FIGHTIN' YANKS 

rifle drill, which we did, and in spare time there 
was a great deal of amusement, such as boxing, 
wrestling and other sports. 

On the eighth day out in the ocean we sighted 
four torpedo destroyers, which had come forward 
to escort the troop-laden transports through the 
submarine or danger zone. 

On the 24th day of October we landed in Liver- 
pool, England, and left by train the same day for 
Southampton when we reached camp at 2 A. M., 
which was a mudhole. Here we were packed four- 
teen in a tent which could only accommodate seven 
men. Not only that, but for breakfast we were 
given a half cup of tea, a slice of bread and jam; 
for dinner, a half cup of soup, a slice of bread and 
jam; for supper, the same as breakfast. To make 
it worse, a very few of the boys had any money, as 
we did not get paid before leaving good old U. S., 
so we could not buy any food. 

I sold a pair of gloves to an English soldier for 
a half-crown, for which I bought a package of ciga- 
rettes and a little fruit. While at this camp the 
boys were invited out on five-mile hikes. I, being 
on special duty, was rather fortunate and got out 
of these hikes. Instead of going out hiking, an- 
other soldier and I would go out into the woods to 
pick acorns. 



THE FIGHTIN' YANKS 13 

ACROSS THE ENGLISH CHANNEL AND INTO FRANCE. 

On the 29th day of October we embarked on the 
Viper for its voyage across the English Channel. 
It was a mean trip across the Channel, as the water 
was very rough and everybody, officers and men of 
all ranks were rolling around "sea-sick." We were 
all sick. The Captain of the boat said it was one 
of the meanest trips that he had ever made. It was 
an all night trip, where on a calm sea a boat can 
cross the Channel in three hours. 

It was bright and early when we landed in Le 
Havre, France. I could hear the boys say: "Show 
me the Hun and we will clean out all of the Kaiser's 
army," more or less thankful that we were out on 
land. After an all night trip, for breakfast we were 
given a piece of cheese, a hardtack or cracker, and a 
piece of French chocolate. 

At this time it rained very hard, and to that we 
had to hike nine miles to a muddy camp overlook- 
ing the English Channel. On reaching camp we 
had lunch, which was very appetizing, although 
we had only beans. Corporal John M. and I went 
out to get some cigarettes at a canteen. While at 
the canteen we met an English soldier and asked 
him if he would give us some cigarettes. This sol- 
dier replied with an answer such as this : " Go and 
buy your cigarettes." I asked him why so rude? 
Well, the Englishman got hot-headed, so an argu- 



14 THE FIGHTIN' YANKS 

ment started. The results were that the English- 
man had no cigarettes left and received a good 
Yankee beating. After the brawl we started back 
to camp with the cigarettes only in time to pass 
them around to the boys, who were in need of a 
smoke as well as we were. After a good and enjoy- 
able smoke the boys turned in for the night. 



CHAPTER III. 



AT THE TRAINING CAMP. 



The following morning we started hiking to the 
Railroad Station, which was eight miles from 
camp. Here we entrained for Guer, near Rennes, 
where we detrained on the first day of November. 
From there we were taken by motor trucks to 
Camp De Coetquiden, or better known by the sol- 
diers as " Camp Quityourkiddin." At this camp I 
was instructed on the use of telegraphy, the laying 
of telephone lines, observing shell fire and all other 
signal work. The boys had a very hard and stiff 
training period here. Every morning at four-thirty 
the boys had to be up and on the job. The first 
thing on the list of the day's work was a hike to the 
stables, feed the horses and then back to camp for 
breakfast, which consisted of a bacon sandwich and 
coffee. After breakfast back to the stables and off 
for a day's work or training. 

We were now in the Northern part of France and 
the weather was very cold. Almost every day we 
had rain or snow. The boys were without money 
up to this time, which made it kind of hard, as not 
being able to buy anything. It was in the early 
part of January that we were paid off, every soldier 



16 THE FIGHTIN' YANKS 

receiving three months' pay. While the boys had 
money there was all kinds of life and sport in 
camp. Private Alec C. came into the barracks feel- 
ing good one night, and to him it seemed as if the 
whole world was in motion. We found him asleep 
in his bed and then the fun began. We got some 
rope and tied him to his bed, then hoisted him to 
the roof of the barrack, then we would let him drop 
to the floor. This we would repeat until he sobered 
himself. By this time all the lights went out, as it 
was 10 P. M., and taps were sounded, meaning that 
every soldier should be asleep. Then the fun began, 
as the boys did not go to sleep. Instead, shoes and 
anything that was within reach was thrown around, 
which caused a riot. The next morning there were 
only a few of the boys who answered first call, for 
those who took part in the mix-up could not find 
their shoes or other wearing apparel until the break 
of day, which was just seven ox-lock. This meant a 
punishment for all those that did not answer 
Reveille. 

The following Sunday night the boys came in as 
gay as ever, having the Sunday afternoon off, with 
the exception of the boys who had to remain in 
camp and look after the horses. 

There was a Pvt. Ike G. and the boys did love 
him not. Ike was afraid of a horse, a cannon and 
most anything. He was a conscript, and was placed 



THE FIGHTIN' YANKS 17 

in our battery a week previous to our sailing for 
France to help fill out to war strength. Every 
soldier was happy but Ike, so we kept teasing him. 
He had to get even with some one, so he picked on 
me. At that time I was the youngest soldier in the 
barracks and Ike thought he would have it out with 
me. No doubt there was a little bout staged for the 
boys. The results were that my opponent was 
knocked cold. Only an hour after the argument 
when Ike came to me and said he was sorry that he 
picked on me, as he knew that I had it on him, not 
only that but we all had to be friendly. After that 
the boys would keep teasing Ike and as he would 
go to sleep the boys would pull the legs out from 
under his bed, throw shoes at him or anything that 
was within reach. Never did we have as gay a time 
as here with Ike. The following morning Pvt. B 
was taken sick and as the First Sergeant, Carl P., 
went around rousing the boys out for Reveille he 
saw Pvt. B. in bed. He said, " Get out and answer 
that call," to which Pvt. B. answered: " If you see 
me out for any formation it will be on a stretcher." 
At the next call the battery was lined up for stable 
call in the company street, but Pvt. B. was not 
there. Only a minute later we could see Pvt. B. 
being carried by in a stretcher. A week later he 
died. Within a few days of Pvt. B.'s death, Me- 
chanic H. died. This was a very poor start in 



18 THE FIGHTIN' YANKS 

France, as it made two men that we had lost before 
even going into the firing line. 

LED AN EASY LIFE FOR THREE WEEKS. 

On account of Pvt. B.'s death we were confined 
to our quarters for three weeks, being that Pvt. B. 
had died from a disease which I care not to men- 
tion, we had to be held under quarantine and the 
doctor's orders, being examined daily. This was 
very easy, as we all had our meals brought to us. 
None of the boys dared to kick, as life was very 
easy while in quarantine. 



CHAPTER IV. 



OFF FOR THE FIRING LINE. 



•On the fifth day of February we entrained for the 
front. It had taken fifty cars to carry the Stam- 
ford soldiers to the firing line. A battery train com- 
prises seventeen flat cars, two employee cars, one 
officers' coach and thirty-six box cars, the latter 
with the famous lettering, "40 Hommes,8 Chevaux.'' 
meaning " 40 men or 8 horses." These are the A. 
E. F. traveling luxuries, which the men who rode 
in them so often will not soon forget. (Side door 
Pullman. ) 

On the seventh day of February the battery ar- 
rived at Pommiers (just outside of Soisscftis), 
where it detrained. After an all night hike finally 
arrived in its echellon. The battery did ! But not 
I, as I was lost near the firing line with a wagon, 
seven horses and four men. Just our luck that it 
rained heavily. At that time Pvt. S. was driving 
the wheel team of the wagon, who was half asleep 
at all times, also our famous lead driver, Pvt. B., 
who was in the same mood of going to sleep. Pvt. 
Willis H. was riding on the seat of the wagon cov- 
ered with canvas and out of sight, as the officers 
did not allow any one to ride the wagon. Not only 
that we were lost, but Pvt. B. had to lead his team 



20 THE FIGHTIN' YANKS 

of horses into a ditch, which brought Pvt. S.'s team 
off the road -and into the ditch, and then we were set 
for the night. If Pvt. S. did not fall asleep we 
would not have been in the mix-up. After a few 
minutes of arguing and trying to pull the wagon- 
out of the ditch, Lieutenant S. came along looking 
for us. It was so dark that I could not see my hand 
in front of me. On reaching us Lieutenant S. asked 
if we were F Battery men. I said yes. He then 
asked who was in charge of the wagon and how was 
it that we were lost. I told him that I was in 
charge of the wagon and explained the accident. 
The Lieutenant then asked " why we don't move." 
I told him that it was impossible, as the wheels were 
too far in the ditch for the horses to pull out. I 
then*had to pay the penalty for it by guarding the 
wagon for the rest of the night until a detail of 
men could be sent up to get the wagon out on the 
road. 

OUT OP THE DITCH AND BACK TO THE BATTERY. 

At was bright and early when a detail of men 
came and helped pull the wagon out of the ditch. 
Pulling the wagon out, we started on the road to 
the battery echellon, when we were greeted by 
enemy aeroplanes, which was our baptism of war. 
This occurrence was very exciting to us, seeing a 
combat in the air between French and enemy aero- 



THE FIGHTIN' YANKS 21 

planes. After a short hike we reached the battery 
echellon, which was near " Braisne," where I had 
the first warm meal since leaving the training camp. 
It was a very good dinner, as we had corned beef 
hash, bread and coffee. Immediately after lunch 
I went to sleep and never got up until the next 
morning, when I was ordered to report to the 
Captain. 

When I reported to the Captain, he asked me 
why I did not feed my horse before I went to sleep. 
I told him I had no excuse, only that I had for- 
gotten! That did not help me any, and I was 
ordered to remain in camp and not allowed to go 
any place for two weeks, only work around the 
picket line. But he soon forgot what he told me 
and in a few days I was sent up to the firing line 
and put in charge of three men digging a dugout. 

THE BATTERY GUN POSITION. 

The battery gun position was in a small ravine, 
just outside the village of Ostel. The village of 
Vailly lay between Braisne and our gun position. 
This gun position had originally been built by the 
Germans, who evacuated it during the successful 
" Chemin des Dames " offensive of the French the 
preceding year. At this time I was detailed to 
take charge of three men to reconstruct a dugout 
in Ostel, which was just half a mile forward from 



22 THE FIGHTIN' YANKS 

the battery gun position. I then had the honor of 
saying that I was closer to the front line trenches 
than any other soldier in the battery. But that was 
only for that day, as the next day Lieutenant W. 
O'D. had gone out on observation work which 
brought him to the edge of " no man's land." On 
return from the front line I asked him why he did 
not call on me to go with him. He then told me to 
have patience and take my time, that I would have 
my share and more. We remained working at 
the dugout for four days, and it was very cold, 
being in February. From the echellon to Ostel 
the distance was nine miles, and it was no joke 
riding a horse those cold mornings out to Ostel. 
After repairing the dugout, I was assigned to my 
regular duty with the signal section. 

LETTING THE ENEMY KNOW THAT STAMFORD WAS IN 
THE WAE. 

On March third, the battery pulled off a surprise 
attack on the Germans. That the entire action was 
a complete success became clearly evident when the 
news came back that two German officers and 
twenty men were taken prisoners during the opera- 
tion, with slight damage to our own forces. The 
infantry of our Division and in conjunction with a 
French officer executed the attack and won praise 
of their French Corps Commander for the excel- 
lency of our first offensive. 



THE FIGHTIN' YANKS 23 

By relentless camouflage discipline, the position, 
which was very well concealed naturally by the thin 
line of trees which grew along the upper edge of the 
ravine and on both sides, was made so successfully 
to appear unoccupied that during the entire time 
of occupation, thirty-seven days, not one shell fell 
near the position. The machine gunners were al- 
ways on guard, one man constantly patrolling the 
position during the day with field glasses in hand, 
with instructions to identify every plane that he 
sighted. Whenever a hostile plane came close 
enough to be identified, he was immediately given a 
reception of machine gun lead which lasted until 
the plane got out of range. The guard also used 
a whistle. The officers and men had been carefully 
instructed that it meant " Stand where you are or 
stay under cover." No one moved until two blasts 
of the whistle (which meant release) were blown, 
indicating that the enemy plane had gone. Pvt.'s 
William F. and Gerrit Z. were the operators of the 
machine guns. 

On March 15th we blew up a German battery of 
a large calibre with concrete gun emplacements, 
also an ammunition dump. 

OUT OF THE LINE WITH A LUCKY DEPARTURE. 

On the 17th day of March orders were received 
to evacuate our position on the 18th. On the 19th 



24 THE FIGHTIN' YANKS 

the battery, after an all night hike, entrained at 
Pommiers, the same loading platform near Sois- 
sons where it had detrained in February. 

It was then that the terrific bombardment began 
along the entire Soissons-Chemin des Dames front 
in preparation for the huge offensive which devel- 
oped so dramatically the following morning, when 
the whole world shuddered at the swift advance of 
the enemy. Our first battery position near Ostel. 
originally German, had become German again only 
a day after we left very leisurely. 



CHAPTER V. 

IN THE NEW SECTOR CALLED TOLL. 

After a twenty-four hour train ride, we detrained 
and lay over night. In the morning we started 
on a two-week hike. That night we were billeted 
at Soulaine, leaving there Monday morning for 
Bouzancourt, where. the night was spent, and the 
hike resumed the following morning for the village 
of Soncourt, and so on day after day, marching on 
the average of twenty miles daily and billeting in 
whatever local barns or other space that was avail- 
able. On the third day of April the hike was over 
and the boys were not sorry, either. During the 
hike it rained every day. After each day's hike the 
boys would pass away their spare time by scraping 
the mud from their clothes and equipment. 

The new battery position was situated about one 
mile northeasi of Boncourt, just to the rear of the 
crest of a steep ridge. It was difficult to approach, 
due to the steep grade of the road which ran to 
the top of the plateau which lay in front of the 
position. Also the poor and muddy condition of 
the road, which led around to the kitchen at the foot 
of the hill and to the rear of the position, was such 
as to make access very difficult for the water cart 
and supply wagons that had to come this way. 



26 THE FIGHTIN' YANKS 

PLACING THE GUNS INTO POSITION. 

The first platoon was placed into position on the 
night of the third day of April, and the remaining 
guns were placed in position the following night. 
They were brought to the top of the hill out in the 
open fields, and gradually brought down by a wind- 
ing course. Then the twelve-horse teams were un- 
hitched and the guns dropped backwards into their 
emplacements with the aid of blocks, timbers and 
lowering ropes controlled by the sturdy and earnest 
men of the gun crews and team drivers, who, di- 
rected by their section chiefs and superintended by 
officers, installed their guns without a mishap and 
in good time. Here I did not have to go through 
all the labor that the majority of the men did, as at 
that time I was detailed to establish telephone com- 
munications with all for guns and Battalion Head- 
quarters. There was plenty of shrapnel at this posi- 
tion, for this reason: the dugouts being built in a 
steep reverse slope which were secure against any 
enemy shells except those with greal angles of fall. 
The Germans knew this and figured the best way 
to reach us behind the crest would be by using time- 
burst shell or shrapnel; and this they did frequent- 
ly. This position had been previously occupied by 
the French and had been located by the enemy prior 
to Battery F's arrival. Nevertheless all efforts 



THE FIGHTIN' YANKS 27 

were made to make the place appear abandoned by 
enforcing the most rigid camouflage discipline. 
Paths were wired, guns were never fired while the 
enemy's planes were overhead, except when abso- 
lutely necessary; circulation was reduced to a mini- 
mum, and the guns and men's dugouts were well 
camouflaged. 

A VERY ACTIVE SECTOR. 

Trenches and redoubts in front of the Foret 
d'Apremont and enemy battery position, including 
the sector's famous " 72.19 mm." German Battery 
were our chief day to day targets. From the ob- 
servatories located around the Foret de Lioville, 
which was built on the crest of the highest promon- 
tory overlooking the Apremont Valley," the ob- 
server could see on the right the historic Mont 
Sec, supposed to have been powerfully organized 
by the Germans, who now held it. Also, on the left, 
Camp de Romaines (the Roman Camp), originally 
built by the Romans. This cam]) stood out on the 
crest of its strong position, ;i wonderful observa- 
tory and stronghold for the enemy. 

THE BATTLE OF SBICHPREY. 

Tn this sector I was assigned to mounted courier 
duty. I received and delivered dispatches and 
orders for the day from Battalion Headquarters to 



28 THE FIGHTIN' YANKS 

the battery position. The enemy had many a chance 
to fire upon me every morning and afternoon. The 
road which I travelled over daily was in plain view 
and within reach of the rifle shot of the enemy. 
Very few used this road, as it was not permitted 
or open to everyone, only to men in the line of duty 
as runners, motorcycle dispatch riders or couriers 
and ambulance drivers. The hauling of supplies 
or ammunition had to be done under cover of dark. 
While out on the road with dispatches I was caught 
often by enemy shell fire. It seemed thai the enemy 
knew my line of work, and had seen the E Battery 
courier and I travel over the road at the same hours 
each day. 

On the morning of April 20th, 1918, the second 
offensive acknowledged the battle of the American 
Expeditionary Forces, which had taken place at 
Seichprey, to the right, occupied by the Twenty- 
sixth Division. The attack was ;i surprise. The 
One Hundred and Second [nfantry, however, stood 
the brunt of the attack and put up a brave fight, 
and after losing the town recaptured it, compelling 
the Germans to retire to their original position. 
The Germans numbered eight hundred in this at- 
tack, who were all shock troops of the Prussian 
Guard. Only two hundred and fifty men of the 
One Hundred and Second Infantry met the shock 
troops in hand to hand conflicts. As could be seen 



THE FIGHTIX' YANKS 29 

after the battle that there were only a few of the 
enemy to retreat, the rest taken prisoners or re- 
mained out in the field, never to raise a rifle to 
their shoulders. 

It was during this battle that we sustained our 
first losses. Pvt. Rogers A. Wilson and Pvt. G. 
Makris were both killed in action. Pvt. M. Dickin- 
son was wounded while serving a forward 09 mm. 
gun to which they had been detached for service. 
First Lieutenant Walter O'D. was also wounded 
by a shrapnel ball. 

COMEDY COMBINED WITH DANGER. 

While I was walking up the crest of the hill, 
Lieutenant Walter O'D. was standing near his dug- 
out, saying to Pvt. Tom L. : " Did you see that shell 
burst?" He had no more than said that when lie 
was hit in the right shoulder by a shrapnel ball 
which was made of steel and weighed four ounces. 
After Lieutenant O'D. was wounded he said: 
"Well, boys, I had that feeling that I'd get hit, 
and back to the rear for mine. But no hospital." 
Lieutenant O'D. then went into the officers' dugout. 
The Captain asked him what was wrong. but he only 
laughed and asked the Captain for some iodine. 
The Captain then poured the iodine into the wound. 
asking if it burned. Lieutenant O'D. said: "No, 
you d fool, it tickles! " 



30 THE FIGHTIN' YANKS 

After the bombardment, Pvt. Willis H. went out 
to a shell hole where a shell fell but did not explode, 
only that the nose of the shell had fallen off. He 
picked up a few of the shrapnel balls and began 
playing marbles in the gun pit of the First Section, 
then in charge of Sergeant S. Just as the game 
commenced, we all heard a boom over in the Ger- 
man lines, which meant for all of us to get into 
shelter of some kind, and we sure did disappear in 
a very short time. We got into whatever shelter 
was possible, but the shell had already struck the 
Third Section shell abri above the dugout in which 
I slept. It was a miracle that there was no one 
in» the shell abri at the time, as most of the time 
the boys would be working there. Then another 
shell struck the Second Section dugout, penetrat- 
ing five feet into the ground over the dugout bul 
not exploding. It was what we called a "dud." 
At the time the shell struck the dugout there were 
four boys in it. The third shell fell clean into the 
kitchen, but this shell did explode, and had blown 
the kitchen to pieces. Another shell liii the edge 
of the cooks' dugout, which was next to the kitchen 
at the foot of the hill; at this time there were nine 
men in the dugout, as it was lunch time. Before 
the shell fire had ceased, the cooks' dugout was 
struck four times, and was very close to caving in 
on the boys. If another shell had struck the dug- 



THE FIGHTIN' YANKS 31 

out, not one of the boys would get out alive. The 
following morning everything was very quiet and 
peaceful. The sun was shining brightly; the birds 
were singing, and it was a Sunday. Gee ! but the 
boys did feel blue ! Thinking that they had to stay 
out in the wilds and no doubt sent their minds wan- 
dering back to good old U. S., the Sunday being 
Mothers' Day. 

THE ENEMY PLAYED A JOKE ON THE CAPTAIN. 

The boys had a shower erected under a tree, 
which was a barrel of water and a tin can hanging 
on a tree. Whoever wanted to take a bath had to 
have some one help him pour the water into the 
can, forming a shower. The Captain was to have 
a bath, but wanted no one to help him. He then 
got set for the shower and walked to where the 
shower was erected, which was fifty yards from 
the nearest dugout. One of the boys said : " Gee ! 
I'd love to see only one shell come over!" The 
boy's wish came true, as the enemy began shelling 
the battery position. This was a good joke on our 
Captain. As soon as he stepped into the barrel of 
water he had to get out and run for the dugout, 
through all the mud, as there was no time to pick 
out a dry path to run over. It was a mud bath 
instead of a shower bath that our Captain received. 
The Captain, being in hard luck, did not mean that 



32 THE FIGHTIN YANKS 

we should sit there and laugh, for we had to get 
under cover. There were only six of the boys try- 
ing to get into a dugout entrance two feet wide. 
" It can't be done ! No, not six men at once." This 
was a regular jam, the joke was on us as well as 
the Captain. 

A CLOSE CALL. 

The following day I was out on my daily routine, 
with the E Battery courier, whom I called Whitey. 
Going over the same road in the eyes of the enemy 
and at quite a rate of speed, as we were more than 
anxious to get out of the valley. Reaching the vil- 
lage of Gironville, which was four miles from the 
gun position, we were stopped by an M. P., or Mili- 
tary Police. This M. P. halted us ami said : " Don't 
you fellows know that yon can not ride together? " 
I then asked, "Why?" The M. P. then said that 
we may be fired on, and if riding alone they would 
not take a chance to waste any shells. Whitey then 
said, "Oh, get out in the line and see sonic real 
war." We then kept on riding, paying no atten- 
tion to what the M. P. had to say. We rode for 
another mile and were again stopped by an M. P. 
We then asked him what he wanted. He told us 
that there was a fellow out near the telephone lines 
who looked as if lie was tapping the wires. I said : 
" Well, why don't you go after him, and not tell us? 



THE FIGHTIX' YANKS 83 

It is your duty to look after such things as that, 
behind the line, as we do our share up in the front 
lines, so why can't you do it back here? " He then 
said : " Both you fellows have horses and it is very 
swampy out there and it would be much easier for 
you to get there. We said no more and started off 
towards where the suspicious character was, out 
near the telephone lines. As we got off the road we 
struck very soft ground, as it was plowed lately by 
some Frenchmen. This ground was plowed into 
rows or strips of land. In between each row there 
was a ditch so that the water could run off into the 
brook running near-by. Whitey and I kept on going 
at a slow canter, and as we would come to a ditch 
the horses would hurdle over it. In the meantime 
Whitey had gained a few yards on me, as his horse 
was a good deal faster. On nearing our object, my 
horse stumbled and turned completely over, pin- 
ning me under him. It was only luck that the 
ground was soft and the groove of the saddle tilted 
across my back, not harming me any. As I fell 
there I remained, and not being able to move, only 
calling Whitey to help me in this way: "Hey, 
Whitey. help! Hey, Whitey, help!" I was more 
than frightened, that if the horse was to turn to 
the side of my head, I would have been killed while 
the horse was getting up on its feet. Whitey heard 
my cries and looked back, and on seeing what had 



34 THE FIGHTIN' YANKS 

happened turned back, coming to the rescue at a 
gallop. Whitey let his horse go, and getting a hold 
of my horse by the head and turning him over and 
freeing me. Gee ! but that was a relief ! Never was 
I as close to death as then. 

I was covered with mud from head to foot. My 
pistol had to be taken apart and cleaned before it 
could be used again. Getting up on my feet, 
Whitey 's horse started away, which meant a chase 
for me. After a short ride I caught his horse and 
lead him back to Whitey, and then proceeded on 
our man hunt. Finally approaching this old gent 
who was supposed to be a spy, by saving, ''What 
are you doing here, and who arc you?" But he 
would not answer! Whitey then told me to search 
him while he kept the old gent covered with his 
pistol. I looked through the old gent's hag which 
he had hanging on his shoulder, and on doing so I 
found that the Frenchman was picking snails. We 
then left the Frenchman, being more than dis- 
gusted and anxious to find the M. 1*. that sent as 
out. It was one unlucky day that I could not for- 
get. We started off for Regimental Eeadquarters. 
On reaching the village of Corneyville we stopped 
at the Regimental Supply Company. Here 
we met the Regimental Chaplain, F., who asked us 
what was the trouble. Seeing me covered with mud 
as I was, would make any one ask what was wrong. 



THE FIGHTIN' YANKS 35 

We told the Chaplain what happened, and he conld 
not help bnt laugh. Yes, I was a joke to be looked 
at, but oh, my ! to be in that mix-up was different. 
Whitey and I received a tobacco kit which was sent 
from home through the Red Cross, which consisted 
of one package of Lucky Strike and Camel ciga- 
rettes, a bag of Bull Durham and a plug of tobacco. 
We had dinner with Supply Company, then kept 
on our journey to Divisional Headquarters. By this 
time we were out of the danger zone. On arriving 
at headquarters we delivered our dispatches and 
started back to our outfits. As I got back to the 
battery, the Germans sent over a small amount of 
sneezing gas, but none of the boys was caught 
unaware. 

HERB IS WHAT WE CALLED A COUP DE MAIN. 

An important coup de main, under the direction 
of the French Command, was staged on the morning 
of May 10th, 1918. Besides all the sector artillery, 
several "groupments" of mobile Algerian army 
howitzers participated, firing four hundred rounds 
of gas, " its share," and high explosive shells dur-^ 
ing the action. These Algerian soldiers, when over 
the top, each and every one of them, providing they 
kill a German, would either cut off an ear or some 
other part of the body, just to show or have evi- 
dence that he had killed his foe. Every Algerian 



36 THE FIGHTIN' YANKS 

soldier carries a small bag in which to place their 
souvenirs. 

OFF FOR ANOTHER POSITION. 

The boys were very sorry to leave such a pretty 
position, even though the Germans had given the 
boys a reception : " It wasn't bad after all." 

On May 26th the battery evacuated the position 
and was relieved by a French battery of the same 
calibre. The position had been made beautiful, 
comfortable, and clean for all who occupied it. Be- 
sides, it was so situated at the top of the pretty 
hillside that the view from the entrance of the dug- 
outs was one beautiful to behold. Even though the 
ravages of war were evident in many ways. On the 
27th the battery column left its echellon de Vignot 
and marched to Minorville, a distance of 28 miles. 

INTO A NEW POSITION. 

Upon arrival and the same night the guns were 
installed in an old French gun position along the 
railroad track between Bernecourt and Noviant. 
The same old drill over and over. Here I was de- 
tailed to lay a telephone line and establish commu- 
nications between the gun position and the echellon, 
which was a distance of four miles. 



THE FIGHTIN' YANKS 37 

A MILLION DOLLARS TO TAKE A PRISONER. 

On the morning of the 31st (Memorial Day) the 
Division launched another attack, the other object 
being to take prisoners and feel the enemy's 
strength. The battery fired three hundred and 
fifty of a " number five " Phosgene gas shells as its 
part in the program. Our attack, by coincidence, 
began just as the Germans were forming for a simi- 
lar action on their part, with the results that our 
artillery fire was doubly effective and inflicted heav- 
ier losses on the enemy than would have been the 
case had the Germans been under their usual cover. 
One prisoner was taken, and on account of the great 
expenditure of ammunition involved this lone cap- 
tive was called " The Million Dollar Prisoner," who 
had a wooden leg, and, asked what his line of work 
was, he said that he sent the rockets up over no 
man's land. 

GETTING FAMILIAR WITH THE COOTIES. 

It was in this sector that I found the first cootie 
on my person. There were four of us in a dugout 
where we had our Central Station. Pvt. Calvin 
M., Sgt. B., Pvt. Speed D. It was on a clear after- 
noon that we began to discuss as how bad some of 
the boys had cooties. Just then Sergeant B. said : 
" That reminds me of looking for some, as I feel 



38 THE FIGHTIN' YANKS 

something creeping up and down my back. He then 
pulled off his shirt and found a large nest of cooties. 
Funniest part of it was that he slept in the bunk 
below mine. 

My bunk was over Sergeant B.'s and next to the 
switchboard. So I said, " You will never sleep here 
tonight, Sergeant B. ! " He then asked, " Why? " 
I said, " Do you think that I want to get all those 
cooties from you? " Then the three of the boys got 
up and offered me all kinds of bets that they con Id 
find cooties if I would let them read my shirt. I 
made a bet with Pvt, Speed D. I had taken off my 
shirt, then the cootie hunt started. The results 
were that Sergeant B. found a cootie in the seam 
of my shirt sleeve. After that there were cooties 
all over the dugout, and it was in this place that we 
were well greeted with the young cootie army. Once 
acquainted with the cootie army, we did not lose 
their friendship until long after the signing of the 
Armistice. 

SURPRISING THE ENEMY. 

At 2 :30 A. M. on June 19th I was on duty at the 
switchboard, my shift being from 12 to 4 A.M. While 
the rest of the boys were asleep I had to keep watch 
on the entrance of the dugout, as we were very close 
to the front line, being in an advance position, and 
as the German spies were very active in trying to 



THE FIGHTIN' YANKS 39 

get whatever information possible, and kept on the 
look-out for the very first chance to get us napping. 
Our telephone lines were cut many a night, which 
made the boys get out and repair the line after they 
had found the break. This morning the Engineers 
set off fifteen hundred projectors, which had been 
set, loaded and connected a few days before. All 
of them went off at once and together, they being 
controlled by an electric push button. As already 
arranged, all the artillery let out several surprise 
salvos ten minutes later so as to demoralize as much 
as possible any of the enemy who had come out of 
the dugouts for air. When the projectors went off 
it seemed as if the whole world was coming to an 
end. The ground was shaken so badly that while 
sitting at the switchboard I was thrown off the box 
which I was sitting on. All of the boys were thrown 
out of the bunks and asking if a shell had struck 
the dugout. I had to laugh at the way the boys 
looked frightened. 

OUT OF THE LINE AGAIN. 

On the 28th day of June we were relieved by the 
Eighty-second Division. It was 1 A. M. when we 
reached the echellon. Here we met the boys who 
were to relieve us. This was their first trip to the 
firing line. They were putting up their kitchen 
where we had abandoned ours. We were hungry, 



40 THE FIGHTIN' YANKS 

as we only had a very light supper, and while walk- 
ing around trying to get something to eat, we have 
seen the new arrivals sitting around and their Cap- 
tain instructing them on the sound of a gas shell. 

Listening to what the Captain had to say gave 
Pvt. George R. an idea. So he called Horseshoer 
M. R. and Pvt. McM. They each got a hand grenade 
and framed up a joke, that as soon as the cooks of 
this new outfit had chow ready, they were to throw 
the hand grenades about two hundred yards to the 
rear of a stone wall, near the kitchen. By doing 
so, would make tliem think the hand grenades were 
gas shells bursting and they would put on their gas 
masks. There were about twenty of the boys from 
the battery and all were informed of the joke that 
was to be played. As soon as the hand grenades 
were thrown, they were to shout " Gas ! gas ! " And 
they did. It was a regular comedy staged watch- 
ing those boys put on their gas masks in a hurry, 
and we dove in for the chow, helped ourselves 
and said nothing. Some feed we did have, and about 
a half-hour later we came around and told them to 
take off their gas masks, as there was no gas around, 
and asked them who spread the alarm of gas. When 
it was discovered that the kitchen was cleaned out 
there was an awful row raised over it. Their loss 
was reported to our officers, but they could not do 
anything, as no evidence could be found. This was 



THE FIGHTIN' YANKS 41 

the talk of the Regiment, and the Jboys did have 
some real sport. 

BACK TO THE REAR. 

At 5:30 A. M. we took the road and hiked to 
Montret, beyond Toul. On July 1st the battery 
entrained at Toul, passing through Vassy, Troyes, 
Noisy le Sec, then switched to the line running 
through Meaux and then to Lizy-sur-Ourcq, near 
La Ferte-sous-Juarre, where it detrained in the 
early morning hours of July 3rd. This ride was 
from the quiet and stable sector of the Vosges to 
what afterwards developed into glorious deeds of 
the great victorious " Second Battle of the Marne." 
This was the most impressive journey the battery 
made. Everywhere there were signs of the brave 
French inhabitants making ready to abandon their 
humble homes in the event that the threatening 
invasion of Paris by the Germans should come 
about. Everywhere the war-burdened French peas- 
ants would greet the long fifty-car troop train of 
Battery F's men and their guns with feverish 
cheers and waving of French and American flags. 
The reception and encouraging spirit which the men 
of Battery F got as they sped towards Chateau- 
Thierry was soon shown, as we sure did give the 
Germans hell ! 



CHAPTER VI. 

THE SECOND BATTLE OF THE MARNE. 

The battery, immediately after detraining, had 
breakfast, and then commenced its march to St. 
Cyr, where camp was established in the afternoon. 
This camp was a millionaire's mansion, but he 
thought the Germans would soon be there, so he 
liad to evacuate his pretty mansion. Three of the 
boys found a wine cellar, which had many a gallon 
of champagne, wine and cider. The results were 
that the entire battery was in a very fine and fight- 
ing mood. 

INTO OPEN WARFARE. 

On the night of July 4th, after having obtained 
some rest, the battery took the road and marched 
another fifteen miles to a hunting lodge near Citry, 
along the River Marne. This was an excellent 
rendezvous, the grounds being well wooded and 
sufficiently large to accommodate the entire Regi- 
ment. 

This lodge was originally owned by a German, 
who entertained General von Kluck during the 1914 
drive on Paris. When the French forced the Ger- 
mans to make their famous retreat, t he host is cred- 
ited with having fled with the retiring German 



THE FIGHTIN' YANKS 43 

army. As soon as camp was established, three of 
us took a stroll through the woods and over to the 
River Marne. We at this time did need a bath very- 
bad. In this river we had a great swim. Although 
the enemy planes were overhead, they did not worry 
us any. On our return to camp, Corporal John M. 
and I were called upon by Major Twachtman, who 
gave us both orders and directions by map how we 
were to locate the Marine Post Command at the 
front line. Corporal John M. and I had the same 
messages, which were of great importance. It was 
4 o'clock when we started out, going over the bridge 
across the river and up a very steep hill, from which 
we could see the guns firing and shells bursting out 
in the firing line. We continued on our journey, 
riding along for a few miles till we reached the 
danger zone. On reaching the danger zone, the 
enemy was shelling all the roads leading to the 
front line. Corporal John M. said: " I'll bet you a 
franc that the Germans knew we were coming." 
Whenever we were out on important duty we were 
always shelled. Here we had to take the horses and 
lead them to a clump of wood, as we were not any 
too anxious to ride into the front line, and started 
the rest of the journey on foot. After putting the 
horses away, we then headed to the front line. Go- 
ing only a short distance, we met our Captain, with 
some of the detail men, who were out reconnoiter- 



44 THE FIGHTIN' YANKS 

ing a gun position. The Captain asked us where 
we were going. We told him of our orders, and in 
return he ordered us to go back to the battery with 
him, as the plans were changed. 

It was very dark at this time, and the Captain did 
not know of any other road than by going over the 
hill. (As Corporal John M. and I were on the hill, 
we noticed a road east of the hill and in the valley 
along the Kiver Marne. ) The Captain asked us if 
there was any other road leading back to camp. 
We then told him of the road going through the 
valley. The Captain then asked us to lead the way 
back. The reason for not going over the hill was 
that it would be much easier for the battery to 
march, and it would be very hard on the horses to 
pull the heavy carriages over the hill. 

Going along the hills and in the valley through to 
Dumptin and on to Charly-sur-Marne. After go- 
ing through Charly-sur-Marne, the Captain halted 
and told us to listen. We did, and heard a long and 
dreary sound which we had heard quite often be- 
fore, the perilous sound of a shell on its way to per- 
form a murderous deed. We kept on listening until 
we could hear the shell hit its target and explode. 
The Captain then said to look, that the Germans 
were shelling Charly-sur-Marne. Now it is our 
luck all the way through. We had gone through 
Charly-sur-Marne only a few minutes ago. Seeing 



THE FIGHTIN' YANKS 45 

that village bombarded, meant for us to keep on 
going, as we had to go through two more villages 
before we could get back to the Regiment, which 
was across the river. Getting through both villages 
we reached the bridge, which at this time was 
mined, for fear that if the enemy was to attack 
they could be easily checked by blowing up the 
bridge. The Germans were trying to bombard the 
railroad station, which was a hundred yards from 
the bridge. We had to travel as fast as the horses 
could go. It was a miracle that we got away safe 
from the bombardment, for we had to go through 
the thickest of the shelling to get back to the Regi- 
ment. It was 10 o'clock when we reached camp, 
and only in time to find the boys ready to go into 
the line. While we were away the Regiment re- 
ceived orders to advance and to take up its gun 
position on the firing line, which was five miles 
forward. 

The whole Regiment was in readiness to advance 
and waiting for the command to march. And by 
2 A. M. word was passed among each battery that 
the orders were cancelled. The orders were changed 
three times during the night, and as soon as the 
boys would turn in for the night, out they had to 
go. This was carried on all night until the break 
of day. Being positive that we would not advance 



46 THE FIGHTIN' YANKS 

during the day, all of the boys turned in for a little 
sleep. 

OUT TO THE LINE AGAIN. 

Asleep and only one hour when I was called by 
Lieutenant John H., who told me the Captain 
wanted to see me. On reporting to the Captain I 
received orders to guide a wagon to a village called 
Dumptin, where the battery was to have a gun posi- 
tion. At that time I was among the few that knew 
the road. The rest of the boys were out on some 
special duly, which made the Captain choose me 
to go up to the line. I was placed in charge of two 
teams of horses, a wagon and two extra men riding 
on the wagon, which was loaded with detail equip- 
ment, such as telephone wire, telephones, telegraph 
apparatus and useful instruments for the officers 
and for observation work. 

It was 6 A. M. when we started out over the same 
route of travel which we went over the night be- 
fore. The scenery throughout the village was 
remarkable and can not be forgotten, being the re- 
sults of a bombardment of the enemy the previous 
night, as we rode through with the Captain. The 
buildings were well wrecked by shell fire, and those 
who ever occupied the homes previous to the bom- 
bardment had to leave everything and run for 
shelter. 



THE FIGHTIN' YANKS 47 

LOOKING THROUGH THE WRECKED HOMES. 

On reaching the village of Charly-sur-Marne, I or- 
dered the drivers to water the horses. I looked ahead 
and saw a building to the right of the road where 
a shell struck it, and blowing the whole front of 
the building out into the street. It then reminded 
me of the shell that we watched burst last night, 
which was the one that struck the building. At 
this time I called the boys and we all went into the 
house. In there we saw a man, woman and child, 
who were killed by enemy shell fire. For a remem- 
brance I took a souvenir, which was a sail boat 
made of clam shells. This souvenir I sent home. 
The rest of the boys did likewise with their sou- 
venirs. All through the village each and every 
building was shattered by shell fire. On reaching 
Dumptin (this being completely wrecked), the Ger- 
mans opened fire on the village. The reason for 
shelling was that there was a forked road in the 
center of the village, and no doubt the Germans did 
think that every time they shelled the village they 
would hit some of the trucks and men using the 
roads. The road which we covered was a mess of 
shell holes, which made it difficult to go over with 
the wagon. On the outskirts we met a Lieutenant^ 
and I asked him to direct me to the Headquarters 
of the Seventeenth Field Artillery, which he did. 



48 THE FIGHTIN' YANKS 

As I reached Headquarters I asked for the direc- 
tion to the F Battery gun position. I was then 
escorted by a Captain to the gun position. We then 
unloaded the wagon and placed the contents into 
their proper places and then started back to the 
echellon. On our way back to the echellon we 
had quite a bad trip, as the Germans were shelling 
the roads that we covered, but without any mishaps 
we reached the battery in time for supper. We put 
the horses up for the night and started for the 
kitchen. The cooks knew that we were out and had 
put away enough food for us. After a hearty meal 
we turned in for the night. That was as we thought, 
but out we had to go and pack to leave for the firing 
line or gun position. 



CHAPTER VII. 



OPEN WARFARE. 



My first night on the firing line at the gun posi- 
tion was very easy, as I only operated a switch- 
board at the Central or Post Command. Through 
the central or switch-board I could communicate 
with the front line trenches and as far back as 
Divisional Headquarters. At 2 A. M. the follow- 
ing day I was called by Lieutenant Walter O'D., 
who said that he had orders for me to take over 
and beyond Paris Farms, which was on the Paris 
and Soissons Road. Getting set for the trip, Lieu- 
tenant O'D. called up the operator at the gun posi- 
tion and ordered him to get the fastest horse on the 
picket line and lead him to the Post Command. 
(The gun position was three hundred yards east of 
the Post Command and all orders were directed by 
phone.) The horse was led to the Post Command, 
and as I looked at him I recognized that it was my 
favorite, whom I called Tom, and he was the fastest 
horse that was used in the Detail Section. After 
receiving the orders, Lieutenant O'D. pointed out 
the road on the map that I was to go over. He then 
said, " Have a smoke, and when you go, stop for no 
one, as it is a bad trip." I said : " Tom will get me 
there." I started. O'D., as I called him, said : " I 



50 THE FIGHTIN' YANKS 

wish you luck, as you need it." I told him to stop 
it, as I might get nervous and never get there, and 
off I went. 

Out on the road it was very exciting, as the shells 
were bursting in all directions and over the entire 
length of the road. This was a very dark night, and 
to make the trip uneasy to travel, the entire road 
was covered with shell holes. Artillery was sta- 
tioned along the roadside, whose guns were very 
active, and as the guns fired I could pick my way 
for a short distance, as there would be a flare after 
the guns fired and lighting up the road. Going at 
a fair rate of speed, as I was real anxious to reach 
my object. At times the horse would come to a 
dead stop, as he would see a shell hole which was 
impossible to go over. The horse made one sudden 
stop which threw me out of the saddle. Getting up 
on my feet, I could hear the crack of a shell burst- 
ing a short distance up the road, which I later 
found out it was at Paris Farms. " Paris Farms 
was continuously shelled," being the enemy's most 
principal target at that point, as it was a cross- 
roads and the only roads through which supplies 
could be brought up to the front line trenches. The 
Germans could hear most any time there was any- 
thing going over the roads, as the German front 
line was only a short distance away, and the least 
little sound of a wagon or horse would draw shell 



THE FIGHTIN' YANKS 51 

lire at the cross-roads. On reaching the cross-roads 
I was greeted by enemy shell fire, but being lucky, 
as usual, I got away. Anywhere within fifty yards 
of the cross-roads could be seen many a soldier, 
horses and wagons laid out, being the prey of the 
enemy. The odor of all that was unbearable. After 
passing the Paris Farms cross-roads I had one mile 
to go, but I made my trip and delivered the message 
to the officer in charge of the Ammunition Train, 
who asked me how I liked the trip. I laughed, as 
I was too glad to be away from Paris Farms. 

Going back after a short rest, only to find it 
much harder as things were getting very active on 
both sides. Not one soldier could be seen along 
the road, as every one got into shelter of some kind. 
I, not being able to turn back, had to go through the 
party . (Paul Revere had nothing on this ride.) 
This was about the boldest ride I ever had. Back 
at the Post Command, Lieutenant Walter O'D. 
waited for me, and asking if I was near the Paris 
Farms when the party was going on. I then said : 
" Was I ? I'll say so ! And, believe me, I'm lucky 
to be here." I then asked him if could call the Cen- 
tral at the gun position to send some one down for 
the horse. O'D. said, " No," and told me to tie the 
horse to a tree and go into the dugout. O'D. then 
asked me to have a smoke, which I did, as there is 
nothing like a cigarette to settle a fellow's nerves 



52 THE FIGHTIN' YANKS 

after a wild ride. Ten minutes elapsed and not a 
word out of either of us, as we were listening to 
the shells that were bursting in our gun position. 
After a brief silence, O'D. said : " Do you know that 
you've got to go back over the same trip? " I, more 
than astonished, said : " What, must I go again? " 
O'D. said: " Yes! 'another message for the Captain 
of the Ammunition Train." Now I know that I'll 
never get back. Then I asked what is the mes- 
sage? O'D. said: ''Take your time, as it is only 
three o'clock and you have a lot of time until the 
break of clay." While in the dugout, the Germans 
were shelling the road leading to Paris Farms, as 
could be seen from the dugout. Finally the sector 
became silent, so I told O'D. that I better start, as 
it may be too late. O'D. then gave me the message 
and said it was from Battalion Headquarters, and 
not to forget to get an answer to the message. I was 
off again on a much easier trip, as I knew the road, 
being my third time over it, Beaching the cross- 
roads of Paris Farms I could see a ration cart 
blown to pieces, also a driver and a mule lying dead 
on the road. No doubt they were caught in the 
bombardment which had taken place before start- 
ing on this trip. I had to go off of the road, as the 
road was blocked with the remains of the cart, mule 
and driver. While off the road, the horse stepped 
into some wire entanglement and I had my little 



THE FIGHTIN' YANKS 53 

share of worry. Only a short time ago the Ger- 
mans shelled the ration cart, which made me think 
of getting the same, but not one shot' was fired 
while I was there. It might have been that the 
Germans, hearing the clatter of horses' hoofs, made 
them think that it was a horse or a mule of the 
ration cart running around and did not care to 
waste any shells on an animal. Getting out of the 
mix-up, I started up the road as fast as the horse 
could go, I being more than anxious to get away 
from the scene. After a short ride I reached the 
ammunition train and delivered the message. 

After stopping for a few minutes I started back 
to the battery, losing no time, as it was close to the 
break of day, which meant for me to get beyond 
the view of the enemy. Back at the Post Command 
I told O'D. of my experience on the last trip, and 
all O'D. could do as he listened to my tale was 
laugh. It was a real joke to hear of what I had 
to say. O'D. told the sentry to bring our breakfast 
to the dugout when it was ready, as by that time the 
sentry would be off duty. We then turned in for 
a few hours until breakfast time. After a short 
sleep we were called for breakfast, which we en- 
joyed very much. Being up all night would make 
any one feel hungry. After breakfast we were lying 
around taking life easy until 9 o'clock, when the 
Regimental Adjutant, Carey, asked for a man to 



54 THE FIGHTIN' YANKS 

help survey the ground from our gun position to 
Paris Farms. I was then ordered to go with the 
Adjutant. The reason for the surveying of land was, 
that if we should be forced back at any time we 
could easily find the enemy's location, as no doubt 
the enemy 'would occupy our positions and dugouts. 

SOME SIGNS OF ACTION. 

By now all men were accustomed to open war- 
fare. Shelter tents were the only cover against 
shell fire. Pvt. Ernest H. was my bunkie at this 
time, and we dug into the bank along the roadside. 
We also had a few empty shell or powder boxes 
filled with dirt and placed along the bank to re- 
inforce the walls. For a roof, all we had was a 
shelter tent. But little by little, in spite of the 
heavy shell fire schedule, holes were dug into the 
bank alongside the road to provide at least a little 
protection. 

The artillery fire on both sides was intense, but 
the Allied guns seemed always to be predominant, 
and very naturally, in view of the fact that the 
Allies were then still on the defensive and relent- 
lessly bombarding the German front lines and rear 
areas to prevent the enemy's preparation for their 
next effort to break through our lines toward Paris. 
Bois Belleau, Hill 190 and the Bouresches Railroad 
were prominent points along the active front lines 
of the Division. (The Twenty-sixth Division being 



THE FIGHTIN' YANKS 55 

in the center of this horseshoe, as we called it. The 
French and the English were on our flanks.) As 
the Germans began their drive they made the line 
into a horseshoe form. The battery fired from five 
hundred to a thousand rounds daily, and the can- 
noneers were obliged to work in shifts to keep up 
with the strain. 

On the 15th day of July, I was on duty at a 
switchboard. It was 1 :30 A. M. when I received a 
call from Battalion Headquarters to notify the 
Captain to report at headquarters immediately. 
(The Captain at this time slept at the foot of the 
switchboard.) I then called him and said that he 
was to report to Battalion Headquarters. The Cap- 
tain left for headquarters, and within an hour re- 
turned, telling me to call Lieutenant Walter O'D. 
O'D. and the Captain held a little conversation, 
after which the Captain went to sleep, saying, " Re- 
member, call me at 3 :30 o'clock. O'D. sat up for 
awhile and told me that tonight is the night that 
tells. " It is either Paris for the Germans or Ber- 
lin for us." I then said, " What do you mean? " 
O'D. then told me that the big party was to come 
off, as the Allies were to start an offensive. We were 
smoking and cracking jokes in between calls at my 
switchboard. In a short time O'D. went to bed, but 
only for a short time. At 3 :30 the Germans opened 
fire. The way the shells were falling in all direc- 



56 THE FIGHTIN' YANKS 

tions, it looked as if the Germans did not know 
what their targets were, as the shells were falling 
most of the time out in the open fields and swamps. 
At this time the shells began to drop in around the 
Post Command, which made me call O'D., as he 
slept out in the open, and only a shelter tent over 
him. As I stepped out of the dugout I heard a 
whizz which made me duck quick, and then I saw 
a piece of steel strike O.D.'s tent, penetrating into a 
nearby tree. I stopped and waited for the shell fire 
to let up, but it did not, so I dashed off to call O'D., 
thinking he was asleep. I pulled him out of his cot 
by his feet. He quickly opened his eyes and said, 
"What the hell's up? I thought it was a Hun." 
I told him that the Germans were shelling us. O'D. 
said he heard the shells bursting but did not know 
that they were falling in around the Post Com- 
mand. I told him of the close call he had had, and 
if he did not get up he would never get home. The 
dugout was only three yards from the Central in 
which I slept. Pvt. Ernest H. was in it at this time, 
but it was of no use to call him, as he was as safe 
as we were in the Central dugout. Above the dug- 
out which I occupied slept two of the detail men. 
Their dugout was as strongly fortified as the Cen- 
tral, so there was no need of calling them. (When 
the boys would fall asleep no shell fire could awaken 
(hem.) 



THE FIGHTIN' YANKS 57 

A DOSE OF GAS. 

The shells were coming over as fast as we could 
count them. Many of the shell bursts sounded very 
low, and O'D. said that they sounded like gas shells. 
I said no, that they were duds, although we were 
not sure and better keep on the ale # rt for gas. The 
Germans slowed up on their shell fire and O'D. said 
that I must call the Captain, as it is time for him 
to get up. After calling the Captain, I went up to 
call my relief, who slept in a dugout over and to 
the left of the Central. On reaching the entrance 
of the dugout I felt as if I was getting smothered, 
and began shouting, " Gas ! Gas ! " Then I got 
down as low as possible and ran back to the Cen- 
tral. I got my gas mask, which was hanging over 
the switchboard. After putting on the gas mask 1 
called the Captain and asked him where is the 
claxon? He then gave it to me and I started from 
dugout to dugout spreading the alarm of the gas 
attack. The Captain asked me if the cooks were 
out. I told him that every one was out but Pvt. W.. 
who could not find his gas mask. We got hold of 
Pvt. W. and made him run for the hill which was 
in front of the Post Command. By doing so he did 
not get any of the gas, as the German gas was heav- 
ier than the air which always settled in the valley 
or any hollow. All those who had gone to the top 



58 THE FIGHTIN' YANKS 

of the hill could take off their masks and look down 
into the valley and see what was going on without 
any fear of getting gassed. At the gun position the 
boys were hit very hard, as they did not escape the 
gas attack. Lieutenants J. P. Clark and John 
Hickey were severely burned, also eighteen can- 
noneers, who suffered severe burns from hyperite 
or mustard gas shells which exploded at their guns. 
The rest of the battery survived, fortunately. 



CHAPTER VIII. 

THE TURNING POINT OF WAR. 

On the 18th day of July the Allies counter at- 
tacked. The artillery prepared fire was short and 
intense. Our offensive started at just 2 :00 A. M. 
The German lines were bombarded until 6 A. M., 
and at that hour the infantry had gone over to get 
what was left of the enemy. As the infantry at- 
tacked, the shell fire of all our guns was beyond 
its first objective, so as to protect the infantry's 
advance. That night the battery displaced two 
positions several miles forward, locating itself in 
the edge of a wood north of Coupru. Prom there 
much artillery fire was executed. In the mean- 
time I was detailed to haul in the old telephone 
lines back at the old gun position with two other 
detail men. 

While taking in the telephone wire there was a 
German plane overhead which received a wonder- 
ful serenade of shrapnel .from our anti-aircraft 
guns. But that did not stop the German aviator 
from going after the observation balloon which was 
south of the old battery position. As the enemy 
plane sailed over the balloon the gunner in the 
plane opened fire on the balloon and set it up in 
flames. The observers in the balloon escaped death 



60 THE FIGHTIN' YANKS 

by means of a parachute. The remains of the bal- 
loon hit the ground the same time as the observers. 
After hauling in all the telephone wire we started 
back to the battery position, going along the road 
very leisurely, as we were tired and had no sleep 
the previous night, It was very hot, and the per- 
spiration caused our well trained cooties to move 
around, which gave us the time of our lives. We 
stopped alongside of the road and had taken our 
shirts off to look for cooties. One of the boys said : 
" I'll change with any one ! " I then asked him what 
did he have? He said: " Twins!" It was quite 
a joke to us, but those who passed by going into 
the line for the first time did think it was ferocious, 
but they soon got over that. The shells were fall- 
ing steadily around us. A steady line of wounded 
passing by in ambulances, ration carts and trucks 
of all kinds. Here we stopped only for a few min- 
utes, as we had to go along and we knew that we 
were wanted back at the battery. When we got 
back to the battery position I reported to the Cap- 
tain, who had given me what was called an accurate 
detail, directing shell fire. This lasted fully four 
hours. I had to go from one gun to another and 
give the chiefs of sections their range of fire. Each 
and every cannon was ten yards apart, which made 
quite some tiresome stretch of work for four hours. 
The shell fire which I executed was to accompany 



THE FIGHTIN' YANKS 61 

an infantry daylight attack, and was placed well 
in front of our advancing infantry in order to make 
positive that the splinters, which fly at times a few 
hundred yards, would do no harm to our men. 

AFTER THE RETREATING ENEMY. 

On the night of July 21st we had the enemy 
started on a long run. The Germans were coming in 
as prisoners so fast that they could not be counted. 
While the battery was advancing to Vivray Farm a 
steady line of Germans were passing the column. 
Every prisoner was there with a smile and saying 
they were glad to be taken prisoners by the Ameri- 
cans instead of the French or the English. Their 
reason was that they knew they would be treated 
much better by Uncle Sam's troops than the other 
Allies. No one would blame them for wanting to 
be prisoners of Uncle Sam. The German prisoners 
would be clothed in the very same uniforms as any 
U. S. soldier. And if taken by the French or the 
English, they would have to wear whatever clothes 
they were captured in. The battery advanced 
directly one mile forward of the old position. Here 
again I had to establish telephone communications. 
At this new position I found it very hard, as I alone 
had to lay out the telephone lines from the Post 
Command to all four guns and into the battalion 
line, which was off the road at the time. The other 



62 THE FIGHTIN' YANKS 

men of the detail were back at the old position tak- 
ing in the telephone wire. The battery was thirty 
minutes late, and the Allied guns were already bom- 
barding the enemy positions, which our guns were 
to be in, on the party. Here the Captain and all 
officers had to pitch in and give the cannoneers a 
helping hand to get into the game. 

In a short time we had every gun firing and 
blazing away at the German lines, which were only 
five-eighths of a mile away. Just at the break of 
day an infantry runner walked into the Post Com- 
mand, saying, " Stop firing. Our own men are 
shelled by the artillery." The Captain asked the 
frightened infantry runner where his company was 
stationed? He told the Captain of the company's 
location. The Captain looked" up a map, and it was 
shown that his company of infantry was stationed 
400 meters to the left of the target which we fired 
on. 

OUT TO NO MAN'S LAND. 

There were four of the detail men in the Post 
Command at this time (Pvts. Louis L., Frank H., 
Bed M. and Kussell S.), and the Captain asked who 
wanted to go out with the runner to the front line 
and investigate the matter. Before any of the boys 
had the chance to say a word, I had my helmet on, 
picked up the belt and pistol, saying to the infantry 



THE FIGHTLN' YANKS 63 

runner, " Let's go." But the Captain told me to 
remain where I was, as I had no sleep for two 
nights. But I insisted on going, as I was more than 
anxious to be out on the edge of no man's land. The 
Captain then told me that I could go, but to be 
careful and come back. (This he said about being 
careful in a joking way to see if I'd be nervous.) 
Yes! I was nervous, as any one would be for the 
first time. On the road ahead of us there could be 
seen many a dead soldier of both our own and the 
enemy. The road was covered by trees which were 
cut down by the retreating enemy in order to check 
our advance. One hundred meters from the village 
of Meaux, a pretty village before the invasion, but 
now a heap of ruins, blood was dried in all over 
the road, as it was only the previous afternoon that 
we attacked and captured Meaux and the railroad 
station, also Hill 204. To the left of the village 
was a very steep ridge, and the Germans were 
swamped in it. Our infantry held the line in the 
valley along the wood called Bois-de-La Roche. 

Leaving the road and going into the field along 
the ridge, which was now covered with dead, also 
machine guns, rifles and all sorts of ammunition 
and weapons. It was only a few hours ago that a 
battle took place in this field. After a little wan- 
dering around, we reached the commander of the 
infantry company, and I told him that I was sent 



64 THE FIGHTIN' YANKS 

out by the Captain to get what information was 
possible concerning the shells that fell on his men. 
I was then escorted to the spot where the shells fell 
and exploded, killing Pvt. R. G. Thompson and 
wounding five other boys, who were sent to the 
hospital. 

I asked the officer what time it was when the 
shells fell short? He said that it was 5:15 A. M. 
I then asked him to show me the exact location of 
the spot where the shells fell. He said that it was 
sixty meters from the railroad track in a clump of 
woods called Bois-de-La Roche. After getting all 
the information that was necessary I was to start 
back, but the officer began arguing with me 
over the loss of his men. This was hard on me, as 
I, only a private, did not date say much. But even 
so, I told him a few things which he did not like. 
No doubt the officer must have been under the im- 
pression that I was one of his rank, as in the firing 
line the officers do not carry any insignia, and none 
other than an officer would go out to investigate 
such a matter. The infantry officer was down- 
hearted for the loss of his men. He said it was cruel ; 
for fully three hours we watched the ridge get- 
ting bombarded, then all at once the shells fell 
short on us. I told him that I was very sorry, but 
that is no reason why he should pick on me, as I 
did not send those shells over. All the time during 



THE FIGHTIN' YANKS 65 

the investigation we were in a shell hole, as we did 
not dare show ourselves in the open any longer 
than a minute at a time or more. The Germans 
were on the ridge in front of us. While I was 
about to start to the battery, one of the infantry 
men shouted : " There are four Germans crossing 
a path in the woods on the ridge." The officer told 
him to go get 'em with his machine gun, and as 
could be seen the boy picked off three of the enemy. 
Only twenty minutes to go before the boys would 
go over the top. I could not remain here, as the 
officer told me to go back to my outfit and report 
all that I was informed, which I had written on a 
pad that I carried with me. I started back with no 
fear whatever, walking as if I were back behind the 
lines. The officer, seeing me walking unconcerned, 
shouted to get down on my hands and knees and 
crawl out of the open. I did crawl, but only for a 
while, as that was too tiresome. Instead I would 
run a few yards, then lie down, which I would re- 
peat until out of range of the enemy's rifles. 

Out on the road, and as I looked back at the spot 
I just left I could see the boys open up their rifles 
and machine guns on the enemy and start off 
toward jthe ridge. 

Going up the road, back to the battery, the enemy 
opened shell fire which was covering the entire front 
line, also all the roads that were leading up to the 



66 THE FIGHTIN' YANKS 

line. The road which I was 011 was the main 
thoroughfare, and this road was well covered by 
falling shells. The enemy no doubt did think that 
the advancing troops would use this road. I, at 
that time, was obliged to get into shelter of some 
kind. In alongside the road there was an observa- 
tion post, occupied by two men from Infantry Head- 
quarters. I approached the two observers, asking 
them if I could get in out of the open, as they'had 
a little cover over them. They told me that 1 was 
more than welcome. 

WATCHING THE BOYS BATTLE WITH THE ENEMY. 

From this observatory could be seen many a vic- 
torious deed performed by our infantry. Inasmuch 
as the boys had the enemy on the run. they would 
come into a stiff combat with them. 

On our left we could see one squad of men attack 
a clump of woods, but only to find four German 
soldiers, who were chained to their machine guns. 
That was what we called brutal, for even their own 
men did not get a fighting chance. 

The boys had the enemy on the run in a very 
short time. We watched them until they were out 
of sight, on the ridge. 

The Germans had let up on their shell fire, which 
had given me the opportunity of going back to the 
battery. 



THE FIGHTIN' YANKS 67 

While back at the battery position, I reported 
to the Captain, who, with the rest of the officers, 
got around me and listened to what I had to say. 
The Captain asked me what happened. 

I then explained full details, and said that our 
shells did not fall in on the infantry. It was the 
German shell fire which fell on the boys. In many 
a place I could see where a shell fell and did not 
explode, only penetrated into the ground, as could 
be seen that the shell fire was from the direction 
of the enemy. 

Well, that sure is great. They don't even know 
the direction of either side's fire. I was then asked 
how I liked the infantry in open warfare. I said 
that I'd sooner be out in the front line than back 
with the battery, as the boys don't have to worry 
out there, and all thev have to do is to go and get 
'em, and you should have seen how nice the boys 
can pick off the enemy with their machine guns ! 

The Captain then said that our shell fire can 
do more damage than the machine guns. I said, 
"Yes, but we do not enjoy the sport of chasing 
our foe, as the boys out in the front line do." 
The Captain smlied and said, " You'd better get 
some sleep, as the boys have gone over and that 
means we will start as soon as the Germans are 
out of reach of our guns." Going over to the 
rolling kitchen, I had breakfast, after which I 



68 THE FIGHTIN' YANKS 

turned in, and was asleep but only a few min- 
utes when I was called and told to report to the 
Captain, who had given me orders to report to 
the Major and follow up the infantry, which I 
did, and followed up the infantry for at least five 
miles, when I was sent back to Regimental Head- 
quarters, and from Regimental Headquarters I 
was sent throughout the Regiment with the 
orders for each commander of a battery to pre- 
pare for an advance. 



CHAPTER IX. 

OUT AFTER THE ENEMY, ON A LONG MARCH. 

Back at the battery, only in time to get in on the 
march, and started out over the road which I was 
over in the early morning. Lieutenant W. O'D. 
asked me to show him where I was when out on 
the investigation in the early morning. We then 
left the column and started out through the field 
which only a few hours ago was no man's land. 
We both looked around as we reached the spot 
where Pvt. Thompson was killed. Looking around 
at different objects and showing where the Ger- 
mans were picked off before the advance. Not hav- 
ing much time to spare, we started back to the 
column, which was waiting out on the road, and 
could not keep on the march, for the Engineers 
were at work with picks and shovels, clearing the 
road and filling the shell holes for the advancing 
troops to go over. 

We started that morning and marched all that 
day and night, covering at least twenty miles. The 
infantry that I left in the early morning sure did 
give the enemy quite a run. Here on this march 
the cannoneers could see what they had destroyed 
by their own shell fire! 



70 THE FIGHTIN' YANKS 

The roads along the entire route of travel from 
Vaux, Les Rochetes Farm (from here could be seen 
Chateau Thierry), then back around the north- 
western outskirts of Chateau Thierry to the Cha- 
teau Thierry-Soissons road. 

All along the entire march there could be seen 
German soldiers' equipment, which they had 
dropped or thrown away as our infantry gave chase. 
It was 2 A. M. and Sgt. B. was taken sick with 
indigestion, and was sent back to the hospital by 
ambulance, which was going back with wounded. 
Sgt. B. being sent back, had given me full charge 
of the telephone section. We stopped for hot coffee, 
as the advance was checked, or awaited to have each 
and every battery placed in its position. 

In the distance we could see burning villages 
and bombs bursting which were dropped on the 
retreating enemy by our aviators. The Germans 
as they retreated would burn up all the villages, to 
bring loss to the French peasants. 

The column started out on its march then north 
by Le Sacerio Farme to Bezo St. Germain, where 
all practically congested during the night with ad- 
vancing double and triple columns of artillery, 
machine gun battalions, supply and ammunition 
trains. 



THE FIGHTIN' YANKS 71 



COLONEL GLASSFORD'S TRENCH MORTARS. 

On the morning of July 23rd the battery was 
concealed in a wood near Bezurst, with the infan- 
try skirmishing in the open only a few hundred 
meters in front. A little rear guard section around 
Tregny had taken place during the night, and in 
the morning the battery had found that it was in 
the same wood with one of the machine gun sections. 

Of course the 155 mm. howitzers were not in- 
tended as trench mortars, but on that eventful 
morning the F battery was christened by their 
infantry brothers-inarms " Glassford's Trench 
Mortars," the word Glassford being for the Colonel, 
P. D. Glassford, who commanded the regiment. 
In this position there was quite a supply of gas 
which the Germans kept sending over quite often, 
but the boys were well aware of it, as every one was 
wide awake. That same morning at eight o'clock 
one gun was taken over the sunlit field and placed 
in position a little further to the right to take under 
some German machine guns which were seriously 
menacing our infantry. The gun was put into 
action, its target being Epieds. All this was done 
under German balloon observation. 

Corporal S. and I helped set the gun in posi- 
tion. While working on our aiming circle, we 
were standing about three feet apart when we heard 



72 THE FIGHTIN' YANKS 

a sizz and then a thud. Looking greatly surprised, 
we saw a hole in the ground in between us, 
which was no doubt either a shell or a bomb which 
must have been dropped by an enemy aviator. 

We then looked up into the sky to see if an enemy 
plane could be seen, but not one plane was in sight. 
We dug in around the hole and found that it was a 
bomb which was dropped by an aeroplane but was 
defective. It was very lucky for both of us, for if 
the bomb would have exploded I would not be able 
to give the results. After having the gun set. we 
stretched a telephone line over the open field to 
where Major J. A. T. had his headquarters. On 
doing so we exposed ourselves to the German in- 
fantry, which had given us a few hair raising 
minutes. 

While laying the telephone line the Germans 
were trying to pick us off, but the shots were away 
off, only that the German artillery opened fire and 
made things difficult for us. Here we had to keep 
as low as possible, while the shells were bursting 
and splinters or fragments of shell were flying in 
all directions. Major J. A. T. was watching us 
working out in the open. Twice my helmet was 
struck by falling fragments of shell, which did not 
sound pleasant to me. (I now keep the helmet for 
a remembrance of what \ would call only a remin- 
der of warfare. I 



THE FIGHTIN' YANKS 73 

Taking the line out and oyer to the temporary- 
headquarters, we connected the line into the 
switchboard. This being done, we started back to 
the gun position, crawling over the field, which was 
not safe to walk over. 

All this time the boys were watching us, and to 
them it looked very funny seeing us dodge those 
shells, but to us it was entirely different. 

The battery's advance gun fired over five hundred 
rounds before nightfall, most of which were directed 
on Epieds and machine gun outskirts. 

The infantry fell back on one side, reorganized 
itself abreast of this lone advance and then re- 
newed its attack. While they were making ready, 
the gun was firing rapidly on the objective— 
a menacing nest of machine guns in front of Epieds. 
In the meantime I happened to think of Lieutenant 
W. O'D., that he was out ahead of the infantry and 
at an observation post, for the targets thai were 
fired upon by the advanced gun were picked by 
Lieutenant W. O'D., and he directed the shell fire. 
I then turned to the Captain and said that Lieuten- 
ant W. O'D. is out in the line all afternoon and did 
not have anything to eat since breakfast. 



CHAPTER X. 

OUT TO THE OBSERVATION POST. 

The Captain told ine to go to the kitchen and get 
whatever there was fit to eat and to take it out to 
Lieutenant W. O'D. At this time Corporal E. J. 
was here and asked the Captain if he could go with 
me. The Captain told me that he could go. This 
gave me an idea that we could relieve Lieutenant 
W. O'D. and let him come out of the observation 
post. I started for the kitchen, and on my way 
back Corporal J. joined me, and we started for the 
observation post. We left the gun position and 
only a few hundred meters away when we heard a 
loud crash. J. said, " Get low, quick ! " and I did, 
for the Germans were shelling the open field just 
this side of no man's land and the observation post. 
The Germans would send over high explosive shells 
with mustard gas shells in between, every now and 
then. This was a very noisy and exciting welcome 
that we received on our way (o the front line. We 
had put on our gas masks as quickly as we could, 
as there was no time to be lost. 

After a few minutes of bombard merit the Ger- 
mans slowed up their shell fire, only to send over 
a shell every minute or so. We then started out, 
and when a shell would burst, we would duck into 



THE FIGHTIN' YANKS 75 

a shell hole or anything that would be near-by. 
Walking along with our masks on for twenty meters 
when some one shouted : " Hey, there, fellows, get 
in out of that field ! Can't you see the Boche look- 
ing at you? And the gas has passed by, so take 
off your masks ! " We were more than glad to take 
off our masks, as it was very hot under the mid- 
summer sun. We then got into the edge of the 
woods and walked out opposite the observation 
post. Here there was an open road which ran 
directly into no man's land, and in order to get to 
the observation post we had to cross this road. I 
then asked J, " How in the hell will we get over 
the road without being shot at? " 

We were now in between our infantry and the 
Germans, or otherwise no man's land. For it was 
the only location that was available for observa- 
tion. I then suggested that we crawl over the road, 
and if they would see us, we could not be hit by 
their rifle fire, as the road in front a ways was 
quite higher than the spot which we were to go over. 
I wanted to go over first. J. said he would go, so 
I said, " Why not let us both go over at the same 
time? " We started with a very queer sensation, 
awaiting every second to be fired at. We got over 
and not one shot was fired. 



76 THE FIGHTIN' YANKS 

AT THE OBSERVATION POST. 

Off of the road and into heavy underbrush in 
the wood. It was kind of hard getting through, 
but we got by with only a few scratches on our 
hands and faces. From here we could see Lieu- 
tenant W. O'D. with three of the infantry men 
on the enemy's line. 

who were manning the machine gun. This to them 
was outpost duty, as (lie front and main line was 
a few hundred meters back to the rear. We reached 
the spot where Lieutenant W. O'D. was stationed. 
On turning around. O'D. asked us what we were 
doing here, and how did we gel out without being 
picked off? I then said that we had to do a little 
maneuvering to get out here. Not only that but I 
thought of you and brought out sonic chow, as no 
doubt yon are hungry. <>I>. said. " I could never 
get out of here without being seen, and here you 
are, both of you. I don't know how you do it." T 
then said, " You tell him, J., I haven't the heart." 

I asked O'D. what was his main target ? He then 
pointed it out to me, and by looking through the 
binocular instrument, 1 could see only a few can- 
non and machine guns, also quite a number of the 
enemy. O'D. then told me to get hold of the tele- 
phone, as he was going to try and smash something 



THE FIGHTIN' YANKS 77 

I picked up the receiver and called the gun posi- 
tion. The Captain got in on the line as requested. 
Then O'D. asked me if the battery was ready for fire. 
I repeated the same to the Captain, who replied 
that the battery is ready for action. I answered, 
saying, " Yes.'' 

O'D. then told me to watch him smash an object 
out on the road. He had given me the range, which 
I passed on to the Captain, and then on to the Chief 
of Section and then to the gunner, and said, " Re- 
port when read}' to fire!" The Captain called in 
a few seconds and said, " The gun is ready to fire,'' 
which I repeated to O'D. He said: "Let it go!" 
and I then passed it on to the Captain. In a few 
seconds we ronhl hear a boom and then the scream- 
ing shell passed over our heads and out onto its 
object. O'D. said: " Look at that shot: it wenl 
square on the target." I told the Captain of it, who 
then told the boys at the gun that it was good work 
and that they had hit their target. 

O'D. then said, " Let them have ten rounds," and 
they did. After that smash-up there was nothing 
left of the target, which was some part of the Her- 
man artillery. Only a few hundred meters in front 
of us was the German infantry, who never did 
dream that we were the cause of that disaster on 
their part. 



78 THE FIGHTIN' YANKS 

After blowing up the picked target, O'D. said: 
" I guess that will hold them for a while. Now I'll 
have the eats." While O'D. was eating, J. was 
using the binocular instrument. He discovered a 
210 mm. German howitzer and shouted for us to 
look through the instrument. O'D. said : " Gee ! but 
that sure is some Bertha, and if we get it, that will 
be some credit to us. as that is the largest target 
we've had in view for quite some time." All three 
of us started to figure out the range of the gun. 
After getting the range, O'D. said : " T guess you 
two boys are good for the night here, for we have 
the range on that gun, and if you boys sec that gun 
in action just call the battery position and name 
your target." So we were left alone with the three 
infantry men. 

This time O'D. took a chance to get out of the 
observatory. We told him that he had better wait 
until dark or he may never get there. O'D. then 
said, " Oh, hell! it is only seven o'clock, and I'm not 
going to wait until dark." So lie started and said : 
"Call the battery position within an hour's time, 
and if I'm not there you know what has happened, 
but keep your eyes open and don't let any of the 
German patrol creep up on you, for they think that 
the wood is full of soldiers." 



THE FIGHTIN' YANKS 79 

We had the enemy puzzled, and if they only knew 
that there were only five of us, they would have 
charged on us long before we could think of it. 

BRINGING FORWARD THE REMAINING GUNS OF THE 
BATTERY. 

In the meantime the remaining guns were 
brought forward and put into action alongside of 
the advanced gun. On account of the lay of woods, 
it was necessary to place one gun almost behind the 
other. 

They were brought up one by one, laid and fired 
as fast as they arrived. By then one hour had 
passed and we were to make the call to find out if 
O'D. got back safe. Yes ! O'D. was there, as he an- 
swered the call. Then he asked if there was any- 
thing doing. I told him that everything was very 
quiet. O'D. then said to keep our eyes open, as all 
four guns were brought up, and that there was to 
be some action in a short time. 

Only a few minutes had elapsed when things be- 
gan to look exciting out on the German side. O'D. 
had turned loose on the 210 mm. German howitzer. 
After that the 210 mm. was there for good. 

It was getting dark and a little cold. J. aud I 
had nothing but a shirt on, as we had left our 
blouses off during the day as it was hot. So I told 
J. to keep his eyes open, while I would go back to 
the battery to get a few blankets. 



SO THE FIGHTIN' YANKS 

J. said that he wanted to go, so I said, " Let's 
toss a coin," and the one that lost was to remain. 
So I won and started for the battery to get the 
blankets. It was a very bright night, as there was 
a full moon at the time which was very easy for 
me to pick my way through the field and out of the 
wood. There was no creeping along this time and 
I walked very freely. As I reached the battery I 
met O'D., who asked me what I was doing out <>f 
•the line. I then told him that I had come for a few 
blankets and water, which I did get and started 
back to the observation post. On leaving the bat- 
tery, O'D. had told me to call the gun position 
every thirty minutes so he could know the condition 
out in the line. 

By this time all the infantry fell back to the rear 
and alongside of the battery position, and only send- 
ing one squad of infantry to the wood which we 
occupied as an observation post at the edge of no 
man's land. The infantry squad was sent out in 
case of an attack by a raiding party, that they 
could hold off the Germans, for it would be useless 
for five of us to put up any fight and hold off the 
Germans. 

I started back to the observation post, but only to 
lose my way to where J. was stationed. Out in the 
woods I wandered. One of the infantrymen had 
picked up his rifle and halted me, saying, "Where 



THE FIGHTIN' YANKS 81 

are you going, and where are you from ? " I then 
asked if he knew where there was an observation 
post. He then told me that he knew, and I asked 
him to direct me to the observation post, which he 
did. As I got back to the observation post I called 
the battery and told O'D. that everything was O. K. 

PICKING THEM OFF. 

Things went along very quietly when about 1 
A. M. we noticed something crawling through the 
wheat field. Every one of us kept very silent. Keep- 
ing close watch on the moving object, J. had seen 
something moving in another direction, but a few 
yards apart from the other object, which no doubt 
was a German patrol. The Sergeant in charge of 
the squad gave orders to his men to pick the target 
and fire at his command. The command was given 
and we cut loose with what we had. The machine 
gun, rifles and pistols cracking sounded as if there 
was a regiment of us in the wood, but there were 
only fourteen of us. We did hit the target, for 
after that two of the boys crawled out and had 
seen five Germans lying dead. 

I received a call from the battery position and 
O'D. asked me what was the shooting that had taken 
place. I said, " Oh, we only picked off a German 
patrol of five men." After that things were very 
silent, only that every now and then a German 



82 THE FIGHTIN' YANKS 

sniper would fire a shot, thinking he was hitting 
some one. 

Close on to three o'clock we received a telephone 
call from the battery that there are rumors around 
that the Germans were to pull off a raid, which 
meant for us to dig in. 

Fourteen of us in the wood had discussed and 
posted ourselves for the attack. Waiting patiently 
for the first charge of the enemy, while the rein- 
forced line was back a few hundred meters, I asked 
J. how long we could hold off the Germans. J. then 
said: "Well, I have a rifle that I picked up and 
fourteen rounds for my pistol ; that ought to keep 
them back awhile.'' I said, " Yes, but only one 
machine gun," but we should worry, as we only 
die once, and were going to die game. 

Minutes had passed into hours, and as yet no 
attack. It was now at the break of day and no 
action. I then said, " Oh, hell ! there's nothing do- 
ing. I think that the Germans have a yellow streak 
up their back." Fifteen minutes had elapsed after 
I had told J. that there would not be anything 
doing. As if at one command, guns could be heard 
everywhere. Shells were falling in all directions. 
Here and there and everywhere I could hear cries 
of the boys that were wounded and put out of the 
miserable war. Looking ahead I could see the 
shells bursting out on the German line. We were 
prepared for the German attack and shelled their 
lines as well as thev had shelled ours. 



CHAPTER XI. 



BATTLE OF EPIBDS. 



The German charge was checked, as our artillery 
fire was more deadly than the German. A well 
organized barrage placed on the enemy enabled our 
forces to penetrate further into the wheat fields in 
front of us. Of the fourteen of us who held the 
wood only three survived. The rest were either 
wounded or killed. One young soldier, although 
wounded, crawled with a rifle in hand, half crazed 
saying, " Let me at them. Oh ! I wish I had strength 
to get up.' 1 We held him down, but only to hear 
him say, " Boys, I did my bit and I'm dying happy." 
Yes, he died, and we took him out of the woods and 
placed him in a shell hole, covered him and placed 
a wooden cross which we made out of two limbs of 
a tree, and on this cross we placed an identification 
tag which the dead hero had worn on and around 
his wrist. 

Standing out in front of the wood, watching the 
infantry attack the enemy in front of us. There 
were no hand to hand conflicts to be seen, as our 
artillery shell fire had wiped out whatever Germans 
there were out in the line. We could not leave 
our observation post, as we were ordered to remain 
at the post until relieved. Taking the field glasses 



84 THE FIGHTIN' YANKS 

into hand, I could see the infantry take possession 
of a chateau or a mansion. I was to make this re- 
port to Battalion Headquarters. On going - to the 
'phone, which was hanging on the limb of a tree, I 
met Lieutenant O'D., who said, " Well, boys, we've 
got 'em on the run again ! '* I said, " Yes! and how 
well we know it." He then ordered me to go back 
to Battalion Headquarters and report to the Major 
that the infantry has posted a guard around the 
chateau. 1 then asked why not use the 'phone. He 
told me that the telephone line was out of order, 
which he noticed when coming out to the observa- 
tion post, I started for headquarters, and on reach- 
ing the Major 1 delivered my message. The Major 
asked me of different details thai occurred during 
the night while out in the line. 1 told him of my 
night's experience, which he said was very good. 
He then told me to report to the battery, as there 
was no need of my going out to the line and that 
we were to advance. I reported to the Captain at 
the battery and told him of my experience during 
the night! The Captain asked how far did the 
infantry advance? I told him and he ordered me 
to go out with Lieutenant O'D. and J., and follow 
the infantry to pick the best route of travel for the 
battery to go over. Going back, I met O'D. and J., 
who were out near the destroyed German 210 nun. 
howitzer that we tired on during the night. 1 nave 



THE FIGHTIN' YANKS 85 

them the orders which I received from the Captain. 
By this time Epieds was captured and the Ger- 
mans were driven back beyond Courpoil. As we 
followed the infantry making out the best route of 
travel, we could see the damage that was done by 
our shell fire which we directed the previous day. 
On our return to the battery, we had the rest of 
the time to ourselves until the command was given 
to go forward. 

GALLOPING INTO ACTION. 

The march through Epieds was not an ordinary 
spectacle. The divisional main body included the 
artillery. The advancing columns were arranged 
as follows: One company of infantry and then a 
battery of artillery, alternating along its entire 
length. Almost a moving combat formation. The 
bodies of the fallen heroes lay along the roadside, 
as well as in the thick wheat fields. Machine guns 
also littered the fields along the road. 

There was plenty of grim evidence of stiff fight- 
ing. Epieds itself, with its shattered ruins, was a 
gratifying spectacle to the battery as it marched 
through the completely destroyed town; they hav- 
ing a great share in its destruction during the pre- 
vious few days. By three o'clock that afternoon 
the advance guards located some of the German 



86 THE FIGHTIN' YANKS 

machine guns in the woods beyond Courpoil. The 
infantry formed for attack and charged across the 
open fields in several waves. 

It was on this occasion that F battery prac- 
tically galloped into action. The section chiefs 
were shown where to halt their guns, given their 
approximate direction of fire and the cannoneers 
did the rest. Chopping away a clearing in front of 
the shrubbery to back their guns into it. The 
Orienting Officer and Instrument Sergeant laid the 
guns on their basic direction and then proceeded to 
plot the location of the position on the map, using 
the results of a hasty but accurate traverse. In the 
meantime the telephone section established commu- 
nications from the Posl Command to all four guns 
and then to Battalion Headquarters., The head- 
quarters being one mile to the north of the gun 
position. 

ENEMY AEROPLANES ACTIVE. 

At this time the Twenty-sixth Division was re- 
lieved by the Forty-second or Sister Division to 
the Twenty-sixth Division, except the Fifty-first 
Field Artillery Brigade, which continued in the 
attack in support of the Forty-second Division. 

Enemy aeroplanes came over in swarms during 
tli is affair, and frequently shot up the woods where 
they knew the troops were stationed. An Allied 



THE FIGHTIN' YANKS 87 

plane came flying over our gun position for at least 
fifteen minutes. This to us did seem very unusual. 
One of the boys said : " It's an Allied plane, but it 
must be a German pilot operating the machine." 
Before anything more was said, the boys picked up 
their rifles and fired on the plane. Not only the 
boys of the battery, but every soldier that was sta- 
tioned in around the woods and within reach of 
the lone plane. Some boy's lucky shot struck the 
pilot and the plane was brought to the ground, kill- 
ing the pilot in the plane. On going over to the 
wrecked plane there was a photographer wearing 
an American aviator's uniform, who did not receive 
any injuries in the fall. When the aviator was 
questioned he said, " You boys better beat it, for 
the Germans are going to shell this field in a few 
minutes." The boys then spread out in all direc- 
tions. 

While back in the woods, the boys were asked, 
" Who fired on the plane? " but there was no one to 
give an answer that there was any shooting around 
them ! This they kept silent for fear that they had 
shot down an American plane and aviator. Some 
of the officers surmised that there was something 
wrong as to the way the photographer had spoken 
and then disappeared out of sight. This made them 
go out and look over the body of the pilot, and on 
doing so they found that the pilot was a Germap 



88 THE FIGHTIN' YANKS 

soldier who no doubt used a captured Allied plane 
in order to get whatever information possible of 
our movements. When the boys found oul that it 
was a German aviator they shot down, why then 
there was everybody that fired on the plane. (A 
question was brought up, who was to receive the 
citation for shooting down the plane? Every one 
claimed it, so no one gol it.i In the plane was 
found a camera, which later developed different 
photos of our positions, and if the German aviators 
returned to their lines the enemy would shell every 
position thai a photo was taken of. 
WATCHING THE ENFANTR1 BATTLE PROM THE GUNS. 
On the 27th. the battery proceeded to Beavardes, 
a village of about three miles forward, where tin- 
guns were put into action in an apple orchard to 
the rear of a farm house. From here Sergy, Bois de 
Feiger ami Cierges were fired upon. During the 
two-day stay in this position the work was x^ry 
easy, and most of the time the boys were firing 
upon German planes with German rifles ami lead 
which was found in the position taken up the pre- 
vious two days. At this position in the farm house 
the Germans left quite a number of pairs of shoes. 
which the boys made good use of them, as at that 
time the boys were in very bad need of shoes. On 
the night of the 28th the enemy planes and their 
artillery shelled the farm house which we occupied. 



THE FIGHTIN' YANKS 89 

forcing every one to leave. Out on the road in front 
of the farm house, Batteries A and B of our regi- 
ment were on the line of march when caught in the 
bombardment. Quite a number of their men were 
killed and wounded, also a few of their horses fell 
victims of the enemy. 

The following morning, on the 29th, the battery 
moved forward an additional five miles to Fresnes, 
where a position in another apple orchard at a 
cross-road near the church was occupied. (Before 
reaching Fresnes, we had seen a foundation for the 
long range gun that fired on Paris, which was 
made of concrete. If we attacked a day or so 
quicker we might have been lucky enough to cap- 
ture the gun. But all that can not be known in 
war. ) 

Shrapnel, gas and high explosive shells were ar- 
riving steadily at the cross-roads, and the spray 
of fragments and the gas fumes made the work of 
placing the guns and laying them a desperate task. 
The gun crews were at work with their gas masks 
on and performed their duties in a cool manner in 
the face of the killed and wounded who lay at the 
entrance of the new battery position. It was a 
strenuous task for the telephone section to lay the 
telephone lines. We were working with gas masks 
on and making connections to the battalion line at 
the cross-roads, while the cross-roads being under 



90 THE FIGHTIN' YANKS 

shell fire all night, as they were the enemy's target. 
At dawn the next morning German planes at- 
tacked the gun position with gas and explosive 
bombs, besides machine-gunning the cannoneers 
with sputtering streams of lead. Shelter trenches, 
as always, had been dug the night before, and they 
were the only protection within reach of the gun- 
ners. Nestle, Poret de Nestle and Bois de Pelgere 
were the principal targets for the battery ; and Hill 
212, near Sergy, also received several heavy con- 
centrations. At 6 :30 the same morning, Lieutenant 
Walter O'D. called the central and I was informed 
to get ready to go out on observation work in the 
valley at the foot of Hill 212. Before going out, 
O'D. and I stopped at the kitchen and got a can of 
corned beef and some hardtack, which was to last 
until we got back from the observation post. 



CHAPTER XII. 



DANGER AHEAD 



We started out to the observation post, which 
was five eighths of a mile from the battery posi- 
tion. There was a heavy fog, and it concealed us 
from the view of the enemy. We reached the valley 
at the foot of Hill 212, and established telephone 
communications to the battery position. (The tele- 
phone line was laid as we walked out to the line.) 
Presently the fog lifted, and we found that there 
was a machine gun nest near the crest of the hill 
manned by three German soldiers. To the left of 
the hill was the village of Sergy. As the fog lifted, 
the enemy started to shell our positions, and their 
machine gun lead kept things humming in around 
our observatory, which made it a very dangerous 
spot for any human being. I told O'D. that it would 
never do to keep out in the open! O'D. said that 
he would go out and get some sort of an instrument 
to dig into the embankment behind which we were 
concealed. O'D. left, and after a short time away, 
returned empty-handed. I tried to get out and look 
for whatever there was around handy enough to dig 
with, but it was dangerous, and O'D. would not let 



92 THE FIGHTIN' YANKS 

me go, as the enemy located our observation post 
and could see us leave, which meant some target 
practice for them if we were seen. 

Lying as low as possible until about 10 A. M., 
then I went out for water. Near the observatory I 
found a dead soldier who had a trench knife in 
hand, lying face down. Taking the trench knife, I 
went back to the observation post and started to 
dig a trench in the embankment deep and wide 
enough to afford shelter for both of us. All this 
time the Germans kept shelling ns, and the hum- 
ming of the enemy machine guns and rifle bullets 
was incessant. Over to the right of our observa- 
tory was a farm house (the remains of it), which 
was occupied by the men of the First Aid, or, as we 
would call it, t lie First Aid Station. 

Picking up the canteen I started out to the farm 
house, knowing thai there I could get some water. 
On reaching the farm house, 1 asked one of the 
boys if I could get some water or if there was any 
water around the place. He told me that all the 
water in the neighborhood was poisoned, but if I 
would go back to the infantry supply I could get 
some coffee. The infantry supply was only a short 
ways in between the battery and the observation 
post. I started oft" for the coffee, and as I reached 
the River Ourcq the enemy increased his shell fire. 
(The Kiver Ourcq was very narrow, and in some 



THE FIGHTIN' YANKS 93 

places only a foot deep.) The winding course of 
the river afforded me some shelter. It seemed to 
me as if every square foot of the ground was cov- 
ered by bursting shells. I noticed the stepping 
stones in the river, which I made use of by lying 
down on the stones and kept out of the way of the 
flying fragments of the shells. Although I was wet, 
I was heartily contented, as I felt safe for the time 
being. 

In a short time the enemy slowed up with their 
slid I fire, which gave me the chance of getting up 
on my feet. Getting up, 1 took my field glasses in 
hand and looked toward the observatory, trying to 
locate Lieutenant O'D., but I could not see him, 
ami fearing that he was hit, I started back to the 
observatory, for during the serenade of lead and 
steel I had more than one close call, so I thought 
thai O'D. had the same. I had forgotten all about 
the coffee and water and hastened back to Lieu- 
tenant O'D. Off to the right I could see the farm 
house which I had visited before, entirely demol- 
ished by the enemy shell fire. Most of the boys in 
it were killed. As I reached the observation post 
I saw O'D. covered with dirt, as the observatory 
was shot up more than I expected. After getting 
the observatory in condition, we immediately estab- 
lished the telephone communications to the battery, 
as the line was out of order entirely. 



94 THE FIGHTLN' YANKS 

At 11 o'clock we could see from our observation 
post a concentration of German troops in the rear 
of Sergy, preparatory to an attack. We then got 
going, and while O'D. figured the firing data, I 
called the battery position and gave orders to get 
ready to fire. After getting a line on the enemy, we 
gave orders for the battery to fire four salvos, or 
shells, which they did, and the shells fell in amongst 
the Germans, which scattered them and broke up 
the attack which they were forming. The Germans 
looked like a flock of sheep turned loose and run- 
ning in all directions. At this time we received 
word from Lieutenant Handy, of E battery gun 
position, to examine an object to the right and on 
the crest of the hill in an open field. O'D. then 
looked through the scissor instrument and thought 
at first that it was a clump of woods. lie then look 
the map and on looking it over, could not find any 
wood indicated at that point. He then looked 
again, but could not make out what the object was. 
Tn the meantime I had my field glasses on the object 
and discovered that it was in motion. I called out 
what I saw and O'D. realized ;it once thai the object 
was a group of camouflaged tanks. 

Without losing a second's time I called the bat- 
tery position and gave orders to get the guns ready 
for action. During this time O'D. figured out the 
range, which I immediately passed on to the but- 



THE FIGHTIN' YANKS 95 

tery. Orders were given to fire, and the advancing 
tanks with their occupants were greatly surprised. 
There were thirteen tanks in all, and the first four 
salvos fired by the battery had checked the advanc- 
ing tanks. 

Three of the tanks were crippled. One tank was 
completely wrecked and blown to pieces. After the 
battery's fire, the entire line of artillery opened fire ; 
also a squadron of planes was called to the scene. 
This was real joy to see the tanks heading in the 
opposite direction, as undoubtedly there was a mass 
of German infantry that followed up the tanks ; as 
it was always the custom. The planes took good 
care of the German infantry, as we could see them 
drop bombs which were for them. We then received 
a call from the Battalion Major, who asked for the 
results. When we told him of our victory, the 
Major said, " Very good work, and I have some- 
thing in store for both of you which you will never 
forget." (That something in store was a citation.) 



CHAPTER XIII. 

SERGY AND THE OURCQ RIVER. 

While O'D. and I were in the observation post we 
could see the infantry of the Forty-second and 
Thirty-second Divisions take Sergy and hills sur- 
rounding it. Four attacks were necessary to take 
Hill 212, and when our infantry finally reached 
the crest of the hill they found that the tricky 
enemy had withdrawn. Leaving them exposed on 
the top of the hill to a heavy artillery lire. The boys 
pressed on and forced the Germans back to Vesle. 
As the infantry kepi driving the enemy, we evacu- 
ated our observation post, but not as we entered it. 
We returned to the battery position, only in time 
to get our equipment and horses to fall in the march 
or wild chase after the enemy. At this time diar- 
rhoea overtook many of the hoys, being undoubt- 
edly due to the thick swarms of flies that were 
everywhere, contaminating their food and water, 
but most of the water was poisoned by the enemy 
as they retreated. 

It was on August 1st that the battery moved and 
occupied a position that evening in Sergy along the 
Ourcq River, the very same spot where O'D. and I 
had directed the battery's lire on the enemy. Here 
only a few rounds were fired when word was re- 



THE FIGHTIN' YANKS 97 

ceived that it would be unsafe to fire more, as our 
infantry has been reported pursuing the Germans 
more than seven miles ahead. 

Here we stopped overnight, after corned beef 
hash and coffee was served for supper. In the same 
building in which I slept during the night was 
Pvt. William R., who occupied the room next to 
mine. In the morning I was called bright and early. 
As I awoke I could look through the wall of the 
building, which was blown out by a shell, and could 
see the field covered with dead, both our own and 
German soldiers (mostly German). On getting up, 
I called Pvt. William R., who slept very comfort- 
able, being in bed. R. got out of bed, and the first 
thing he asked was, "What do we eat?" (Every 
soldier would ask the same on getting out of a 
night's sleep!) I then told him that we had bacon 
and eggs. He was rather surprised to hear me say 
eggs, and asked me where did we get the eggs. I 
had to laugh, and R. threw a shoe at me. R. re- 
membered that when he got into bed, there was 
some one asleep, so he began to call who ever it 
was to get up. but there was no reply. R., believ- 
ing the poor boy was all in and did not care to get 
up for breakfast, as good sleep was better than a 
meal. R. and I went out to the kitchen, and while 
having breakfast I was informed that we were to 
advance and to get ready. 



98 THE FIGHTIN' YANKS 

After breakfast we got back to our " Palace de 
Luxe " and started to make up our packs. It did 
not take me long to get ready, as I had only two 
blankets to all of my equipment. I called for R. 
He then told me there was a fellow in bed and did 
not want to get out. I told him to pull him out, and 
as he pulled the blankets which covered the fellow, 
he found that it was a big, husky, dead German sol- 
dier that he slept with all night. That was a good 
joke on R., sleeping with a dead German. We 
looked over the dead hero, but could not find any- 
thing of value on him. By this time we were called 
out for the advance. 

THE EIGHTEEN-DAY P.ATTLE OVER. 

The battery started on a memorable fourteen- 
mile march through Nestle, the Foret de Nestle, 
Village des Bonhomnies and Dole to La Tuilerie, 
where the guns were put into action just off the 
main road over which the Germans had retreated 
during the previous night. Dhery-Chartreuve lay 
a few miles forward and the barracks and supplies 
which the Germans set tire to, were still smolder- 
ing freely. The roads traveled over to get to this 
new position were a mass of congested traffic. The 
mud in places, especially through the Forest de 



THE FIGHTIN' YANKS 99 

Nestle, was at least a foot or more in depth. The 
guns sank to the wheel hubs in the mire, and shell 
craters made passage doubly difficult. 

Enemy carts were strewn along the entire route ; 
the German horses causing a sickening stench. Am- 
munition had been blown up in many places, but 
numerous piles still remained, the enemy having 
no time to destroy or remove them all. 

Several days before, the Forty-second Division 
Infantry had been relieved by the Fourth Division. 
The Fifty-first Field Artillery Brigade supported 
this new division until August 4th, when it was 
relieved by the Sixty-seventh Field Artillery Bri- 
gade. The Vesle had been reached, the Germans 
having been driven to the north bank of the river, 
where they were putting up a desperate resistance. 
The town of Fismes lay only three and a half miles 
forward of this last position occupied by F battery 
during the Marne-Aisne drive. 

The Second Battle of the Marne had been won. 
The enemy was gradually recovering from the first 
stunning blows which the Allies had dealt him, but 
never again did he become so formidable as during 
the days when he made his last vain drive on Paris. 
It was the beginning of the end. His Waterloo had 
come, and from then on it was for him a series of 
fatal defeats. 



100 THE FIGHTIN' YANKS 

From the first battery position at Dumptin to 
La Tuilerie, where the battery lia<l its final gun 
position, as the bird flies is exactly twenty miles. 
During the battle the battery occupied nine differ- 
ent positions and fired a total of seven thousand 
shells during the period from July 18th to August 
4th, inclusive. In other words, about three hun- 
dred and twenty-five tons of steel and fire were 
hurled at the Germans by Battery F during its 
eighteen-day support of the three different Ameri- 
can Infantry Divisions. 

OUT OF HELL AND FIRE. 

On August 1th the battery marched fourteen 
miles to Beavardes, where it rested a few hours the 
following morning, resuming the march late the 
same afternoon for Aulnois, south of Chateau 
Thierry, a distance of sixteen miles. On this march 
I was ordered to ride at the head of the column and 
was ordered to keep in touch with the battalion 
commander. All the boys were well worn and tired 
from the fatiguing march, but the column moved 
slowly but surely through the night and covered a 
distance of sixteen miles. The young veterans had 
tasted enough of war to know that all such exact- 
ing hardships must be encountered and endured 
cheerfullv. 



THE FIGHTIN' YANKS 101 

On the 7th of August the battery started out 
again for La Ferte-sous-Jouarre, where it estab- 
lished camp that afternoon. The men were bathed 
and deloused; and during the next few days that 
passed, passes were granted to Paris and Meaux. 
I had received a pass to Meaux. 

OFF FOR THE REST AREA. 

On August 14th the battery entrained at La 
Ferte-sous-Jouarre and detrained the same night 
at Poincon, near Chatillion-sur-Seine, where it took 
the road to Villote on August 15th. In this village, 
well behind the lines, the battery enjoyed cleanli- 
ness and comfort so far as was possible in the field, 
being composed on the ground of a well kept cha- 
teau which provided excellent accommodations for 
both officers and men. Yes ! The men were accom- 
modated in this way: that there was no mud to 
sleep in, as for the officers, indoors as usual. On 
August 21st the battery moved by road to Leuglay 
( this was to be a rest area ) , near regimental head- 
quarters, where a comfortable site was also found 
for the battery camp. 

Only at this camp there was a brook near the row 
of pup tents ; and all the boys had to do was to roll 
out of the tent and into the brook for their morn- 



102 THE FIGHTIN' YANKS 

ing bath. At this camp the boys had some amuse- 
ments, such as music, divisional vaudeville, boxing 
bouts and singing. Drilling and miscellaneous 
training was a part of the amusements which the 
boys received, or in general, intensified prepara- 
tions were under way throughout the division for 
the new offensive operations which it would soon 
participate in. (This was the end of the rest camp.) 



CHAPTER XIV. 



LEAVING FOR ST. MIHIEL. 



On August 28th the battery left Leuglay and en- 
trained at Laterecy the following morning, estab- 
lishing the record loading time of 14 minutes. After 
a short ride the battery unloaded at Trouville (near 
Bar-le-Duc) the same evening, taking shelter in 
the woods near-by so as to be entirely concealed 
throughout the day, as all movements had been pro- 
hibited during daylight to keep secret the meeting 
and massing of the American troops near the sec- 
tor. On the 31st the battery moved to the woods 
near Resson, and on the 1st of September to the 
woods between Heippes and St. Andre. On the 5th 
the battery marched to the woods near Rupt-en- 
Woevre. All this movement over the road took 
place at night, a distance of about fifty miles from 
the point of detrainment. 

PUTTING IN THE GUNS FOR THE BIG PUSH. 

On the night of the 8th of September the four 
guns were pulled iuto a position beyond Mouilly, 
about seven hundred meters from the front line. 
Cannoneers were stationed on the outpost guard 
Laid with ;ill various means possible to insure pre- 
cision, as no shells could be tired by these new bat- 
teries before the actual hour of the attack without 



104 THE FIGHTIX' YANKS 

revealing to the enemy the arrival of additional 
artillery. Ammunition was brought up under cover 
of darkness. The drivers had found the work very 
hard, as working all night in the mud and rain, and 
getting to bed around noon and out again three 
o'clock ; for the horses had to be looked after. This 
the drivers had to put up with for fully four days. 

Other preparations pushed vigorously for the ini- 
tial stroke of the American First Army, which was 
to cut off the St. .Mihiel salient. The Twenty-sixth 
Division was now in the Fifth American Corps. 
Only the night before the attack, a wagon loaded 
with thirty shells, weighing 2,700 pounds, capsized 
and went over a bank, which was only a few feet 
from the front line. Pvt. .1. S. was badly hurt and 
taken to the hospital. As the wagon turned over it 
made a racket which could he heard miles away, 
and sounded as if a ton of shells had exploded. The 
Germans did not open tire on the boys, neverthe- 
less. They did not know where the wagon was. 
and could not see, as it was raining and \{'ry dark 
at the time. 

THE BIG ARTILLERY BATTLE HEGTNS. 

At midnight. September llth-12th, all the bat- 
teries opened the preparation fire which was to 
destroy or make untenable all the dugouts and 
strong points along the enemy's main line of re- 



THE FIGHTIN' YANKS 105 

sistance, besides neutralizing or silencing all his 
batteries. The artillery broke the enemy's defense 
and our infantry " jumped off " at seven o'clock 
the next morning, the resistance being reduced al- 
most to nothing, thus making it possible to pene- 
trate the enemy lines to a depth of ten miles to 
Vigneulles within twenty-seven hours. The offen- 
sive was a complete success. The entire salient, 
involving over two hundred square miles, had been 
liberated. Seven thousand prisoners were cap- 
tured, of whom two thousand had been taken by 
the Twenty-sixth Division alone, and the whole 
world acclaimed the great initial victory of the 
First American Army. 

ON THE RUN AFTER THE GERMANS. 

On September 13th the battery moved forward 
to a position in the Foret de la Montague, and on 
the Kith to the woods west of Hannonville. It was 
here that we had passed a batch of German pris- 
oners, being Prussian Guards. One of the prisoners 
asked what division. The prisoner was then told 
that we were of the Twenty-sixth Division. He then 
said that it was impossible that we were of the 
Twenty-sixth Division, for his division fought 
against us in the following sectors: in the Battle 
of Seichprey, the Xivray offensive, the Second Bat- 
tle of the Marne and now here at St. Mihiel. 



106 THE FIGHTIN' YANKS 

The prisoner then asked how many Twenty-sixth 
Divisions are there in the United States Army? For 
meeting and fighting against us all the time sounded 
impossible. One of the boys who spoke to the pris- 
oner had spoken in German and told the prisoner 
that we were about the best of the U. S. forces, 
that is why we were put in against the " Prussian 
Guards." The prisoner then said that we could 
fight; and that our artillery fire was wonderful. 
We asked him how they were being fed, and the 
prisoner then said that they had the best of food; 
being crack soldiers they had to be fed well. And 
did have U. S. food, such as Swift's corned beef, 
condensed milk and other American food. This 
we did not like to hear him say, for we never had 
much of that while in the firing line. 

From Hannonville considerable fire was executed 
on the towns in the plains below the Heights of the 
Meuse. We were now under the control of the Sec- 
ond French Colonial Corps, to which the Twenty- 
sixth Division was attached on September 15th. 
The Marcheville and Riaville raids were supported 
by the battery's fire, as were several coups de main 
made by the French and Americans. The land 
captured here was exceptionally well organized for 
safety and comfort. It was everywhere evident that 
the Germans did not dream of evacuating the in- 
vaded country forming the St. Mihiel salient. 



THE FIGHTIN' YANKS 107 

Buildings that looked as though they were intended 
to be permanent and dugouts carefully designed 
and well constructed with concrete were every- 
where in evidence. The enemy apparently planned 
that this should be the future Franco-German fron- 
tier, for everything was arranged as though it were 
meant for generations. 

LOSING SOME OF THE BOYS. 

On the night of October lOth-llth we were re- 
lieved by the Fifty-fifth Field Artillery Brigade, of 
the Seventy-ninth U. S. Division. 

While waiting in the woods in a mud path to get 
orders to start on the march, a shell burst fifty 
meters in back of a wagon which at this time was 
being repaired, for the fifth wheel of the wagon 
was broken. 

There were close on to twenty of the boys hang- 
ing around the wagon at the time. As the first shell 
exploded, the boys spread in all directions. Five of 
the boys passed me going out of the wood and on to 
the road. At this time a shell fell and exploded six 
meters from where I was standing. It was this shell 
that killed Private George Witzel and seriously 
wounded Corporal Lucien T. Libby, who later died. 
Also wounded Privates Thomas R. Marchant, John 
Swesnoski and Emil Dahlbeck. The latter was 
standing on my left. The two horses which Dahl- 



108 THE FIGHT IX' YANKS 

beck had were killed and my horse was seriously 
wounded. All that I received out of that surprising 
smash-up was that I was thrown into the air a few 
feet and landed on the dead horses. This was the 
close call which made me realize the fact that such 
as the boys were told by many a wounded boy, 
" You never bear the shell that's going to get you." 
This was proven to be a fact, as I did not hear that 
shell coming. 

The same morning we were relieved and pro- 
ceeded to Kypt-en-Woevre. 



CHAPTER XV. 

THE MEUSE-ARG0NNE OFFENSIVE. 

On October li'th the battery marched north around 
Verdun to Baleycourt, a distance of about twenty- 
four- miles. Here the entire One Hundred and Third 
Field Artillery was camped in the Bois de Sartelle. 
just outside tin- little town where it awaited orders 
to go into the line along the Meuse, just north of 
Verdun. 

On October tlth. L918, the four guns were placed 
in a position in the shell torn Ravine de Vacherau- 
ville, about four miles north of the city of Verdun, 
relieving a battery of the Eighteenth French Di- 
vision. 

Beaumonl was just east of the position and Fort 
de Douamont loomed up on the crest to the right. 
Dead Man's Hill was to the left on the west side of 
the Meuse; also Brass, Brabant, Samogneux, Nau- 
mont, Consenvoye, Flabas and Crepion, all historic 
villages of previous great battles of Verdun, stood 
in the sector of the Twenty-sixth Division. 

ARTILLERY HUB TO HUB. 

Batteries of nil calibres, from 75 mm. to 320 mm. 
and 14-inch railway naval guns, were booming con- 
stantly in the great final battles of the war. While 



110 THE FIGHTIX' YANKS 

the enemy was being driven back on the west bank 
of the Meuse, his pivot about Verdun was being- 
menaced com inn ally and his important hold on the 
Meuse Heights was gradually wrested from him as 
the indefatigable French and American crusaders 
drove the famous Prussian Guard regiments back, 
foot by foot, day by day. towards .MHz. 

At one cross-roads at least twelve batteries, about 
forty-eight guns of various calibres, were belching 
out round after round. In the ravines and such 
Other few available places for gun positions as 
existed batteries were placed, and the mud-churned 
trails that led to them were choked with carts and 
trucks bringing up the much needed ammunition 
and supplies. Some hundreds of hundred-pound 
shells and boxes of powder charges and fuses were 
carried up to the positions by the men. The enemy 
resistance was very stiff and his artillery was like 
the intensity of our own. but the men carried on 
with unflinching spirit. 

EVER? FOOT BITTERLY CONTESTED. 

The division was now in the Seventeenth 
French Corps, First American Army, and had 
its Divisional 1*. C. in the Citadel of Verdun. Dur- 
ing the twenty-live days that the sector was held, 
the division captured Bois d'Etrayes, Belleau Bois, 
Les Houppy.Bois, Bois d'Ormont, Hill 360 and Bois 



THE FIGHTIN' YANKS 111 

d'Haumont; and during the last few days of the 
war, the division stormed and took Crepion, Flabas, 
Moriey and Villedevant Chaumont. 

THE GUNS KNOCKED OUT. 

During the fighting that went on, the Brigade 
had eight 75 mm. guns and Wo 155 mm. guns dis- 
abled by direct hits, fragments or premature bursts. 
The enemy used mustard gas very freely and often 
put complete gun crews out of action with it. On 
the other hand, he was also frequently gassed by 
incessantly harassing the enemy's rear, firing 
on roads, " Lagers " and camps, German batteries, 
occupied towns, woods and dugout strongholds. 
Often all twenty howitzers in the regiment would 
fire on one target and swamp it with a surprise 
deluge of fire and steel and then immediately shift 
to another unsuspecting German target, which 
would receive the same dose. 



CHAPTER XVI. 

PUSHING THE GERMANS OFF THE HEIGHTS. 

On the 11th day of November, 1918, when the Armi- 
stice went into effect at eleven o'clock in the niorn- 
ing, the divisional front had been wedged forward 
a straight distance of four miles, the new front 
i- mining along the edge of the plain beyond the 
Mense Heights, between Verdun and Metz. 

THE LAST AND NEVER REGRETFUL SHOT. 

The battery tired practically the entire morning 
of the eleventh, the cannoneers competing among 
themselves for the honor tiring the last shot at 10 :59 
o'clock, when order to "Cease firing" was given. 
A few seconds after eleven the rumble of artillery 
had died out. 

The front, so far as the ear could hear, had be- 
come silenced all along the entire length. The can- 
nons were stilled; the sputtering of machine gun 
tiring had ended; the front line infantry were be- 
ginning to leave their cover, cautiously at first, and 
lay down their arms. The sword, which for over 
four years had been wielded in the defense of Lib- 
erty, was sheathed before a humble and defeated 
foe. 



THE FIGHTIN' YANKS 113 

LEAVING THE FRONT FOR THE LAST TIME. 

Thus was the end of the Great World War. The 
Armistice conditions, granted by Marshal Foch, 
Allied Commander-in-Chief, were such that they 
made it impossible for the Germans to commence 
hostilities anew. If the Armistice was not signed 
on the 11th day of November, and as to the way the 
Allied troops started to drive back the Germans, the 
boys would keep pressing the enemy as far back as 
the Rhine. And it is a well known fact. 

On November 13th the battery left its last posi- 
tion where it had served on ground hallowed by the 
gigantic battles that had been fought by their brave 
French comrades during the long struggle of 1916, 
when the Germans hurled all their force against 
the Verdun strongholds only to be repelled, time 
after time again, by its gallant defenders, who stood 
there with their backs against the wall and said, 
" On ne passe pas," meaning " Shall not pass." 

BACK IN THE REAR. 

On the night of the 13th the battery stayed at 
Caserne Niei in Verdun. On the 14th it marched 
to Fleury and on to Niniers, from which latter 
placed it transported its guns and other wheeled 
material to a Brigade Park which had been estab- 
lished at Tronville, south of Bar-le-Duc. The Bri- 



114 THE FIGHTIN' YANKS 

gade was dehorsed the following morning, leaving 
only one hundred and twenty-five animals to each 
regiment for necessary day to day hauling of sup- 
plies. On November 20th the battery moved to 
Nancois-le-Petite, and on the 30th to Gery. On 
the -1st day of December the battery marched to 
Ligny, where it detrained with its material for the 
Langres-Montigny training area. The battery ar- 
rived at La Perte that evening and after an all 
night nineteen mile hike from the point of detain- 
ment, it reached Ranconniers on the morning of 
December L'L'nd. where it was stationed until Janu- 
ary 15th, 1919. 



CHAPTER XVII. 



ORDERED HOME. 



The division had recently received orders to pre- 
pare to embark for America and would probably 
sail for the United States some time in March. The 
battery left Ranconniers, and after an all-day hike, 
entrained for Le Mans area, where it was stationed 
pending the assignment of ocean transportation. 
On about the 27th of March, the battery received 
orders to leave Pont Volan for the embarkation 
point, which was Brest. And after a two-day ride 
we heard the sound of the steamship's whistle and 
the boys went wild with joy. On the first day of 
April the battery embarked on the U. S. S. Mon- 
golia, and arrived in Boston, Mass., on the 16th of 
April. 

DISCHARGED AND FREE ONCE AGAIN. 

The battery entrained at the pier in Boston, and 
all along the railroad line the boys were greeted 
with everlasting lines of persons waiting to get a 
glimpse of the heroes. Factory and locomotive 
whistles were in full blasts as the boys rode by. 
This was a very happy and never to be forgotten 
welcome which the boys received. 



116 THE FIGHTIN' YANKS 

The battery detrained at Camp Devens, Ayer, 
Mass., and was assigned to very neat and comfort- 
able quarters, for there were iron beds, springs and 
matresses to sleep on. This we were not used to, 
as sleeping in mnd and out in the open close on to 
eighteen months was quite a change. The very same 
day and nigh.1 the boys were given their final 
"cootie" bath, after which passes were granted for 
home; and the following morning there hardly was 
;i Twenty-sixth Division man in camp. 

The latter part of April the Division paraded in 
the city of Boston. On the 29th day of April the 
entire Twenty-sixth Division was discharged, and 
the boys bid a farewell to Uncle Sam's gallant 
army, which was never defeated throughout its 
existence. 



F [ N I S 



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